Luigi's Mansion 3: Hotel Horror
by TheGameNguyener
Summary: Luigi's been invited to stay at a luxurious hotel. But things go from relaxing to daunting when he wakes up in a spooky atmosphere. Even worse, he finds himself on another ghost hunt after King Boo has returned and captured his friends. With the help of E. Gadd, his Polterpup, and a gooey ally named Gooigi, can the green plumber surmount the horrors of The Last Resort?
1. Prologue: An Enigmatic Invitation

_A/N:__ It's that time of year! Instead of giving away candy to trick-or-treaters, I'm gonna be that kind of jerk to buy Luigi's Mansion 3 and play it nonstop... until I have to go to my evening work shift. Regardless, I also wanted to write a fanfic based on the game. To Nintendo's credit though, the game looks fantastic from the trailers that it can tell the story on its own, even without narration or a lot of dialogue. I mean, have you seen Luigi and Mario's interactions with each other? Charles Martinet, you make my heart want to explode._

_I'll be playing through the game to help give me an idea on how to set up the narration. I don't know if I'll get the chance to update consistently, but I'll try my best (despite having two other projects to complete)._

_Post-Chapter Notes are found at the end of each chapter (if necessary) with references or explanations denoted by numbers in bold, italics, and parentheses. Ex.- **(1)**_

_With that being said, I hope you check in for a 'de-frightful' experience as I welcome you to my newest project – Luigi's Mansion 3: Hotel Horror._

_***NOTE: After playing through the game, I was able to find the translated invitation from the introductory cutscene. Therefore, the writing on the letter has been edited.**_

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_Disclaimer:__ Nintendo owns the franchise of Mario, Luigi's Mansion, and the characters. I do not claim rights to any of this. I am only responsible for this fanfic._

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**Prologue:** An Enigmatic Invitation

_Location: Mushroom Kingdom_

It was another long yet peaceful Friday in the Mushroom Kingdom as Luigi strolled to the green pipe near the entrance of Toad Town. Earlier, he and his older brother, Mario, finally finished rebuilding Peach's Castle after an accident caused the whole palace to collapse. Although it was an arduous, time-consuming task, the Mario Bros. and their Toad friends finished the job in about four months. **_(1)_** While Mario decided to stay with Princess Peach, who thanked everyone for the help, Luigi opted to get some rest at home. Mario and Peach respected his decision, but they promised to visit him later tonight.

Once he got home, he fumbled around with his overalls, hoping he didn't lose his keys – for both his go-kart and the house. **_(2)_** Patting down his hips, he sighed in relief when he heard a metal clink. He took the keys out, nearly dropping them after they slipped out of his hand. As he unlocked the entrance, Luigi was immediately greeted by his pet Polterpup. He jumped a little since he didn't expect him to be sitting near the front door. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but admire his eager face.

"Hi, Colombo!"

"Arf! Arf!"

He first met the ghostly dog in Evershade Valley, chasing him through several mansions to retrieve some key items that he needed in his Dark Moon quest. Polterpup was an unpredictable anomaly, but he was more affable and frisky than mischievous and harmful. After Luigi repaired the Dark Moon, defeated King Boo, and saved his bro, the ghosts reverted to their normal selves, including Polterpup. That was when he chose to adopt him as his pet.

Luigi scratched the Polterpup's head with his gloved fingers. The dog closed his eyes, panting joyfully as his hind leg tapped on the wooden floor.

"Heh heh, you like that, Colombo?"

"Ruff!" The dog followed with a lick on his face. Luigi couldn't help but laugh as he wiped off the ghostly drool.

They played around for a little while before heading upstairs to his bedroom. Luigi removed his hard helmet and hung it on one of the hooks of his wall rack. Then, he unbuttoned the green overalls, removed his yellow, long-sleeved shirt, and put on his usual plumber attire. By the time he threw his beloved, green cap on his head, he heard Parakarry from outside.

"Mail call!" the Paratroopa yelled.

"Eh, it's probably more bills again. _Ma questa è la vita_," Luigi sighed. **_(3)_**

Luckily for Colombo, he doesn't have to deal with the stress of paying the bills or anything humans and Toads have to do on a usual basis. He's a dog after all. A spectral canine, no less.

Luigi returned to the front lawn to grab the mail. He briefly scanned each letter until he received something that caught his eye. He held out a golden, square envelope with a silver line around the border. It was addressed specifically to him. Taking in the details, the letter appeared to be some kind of invitation. 'An invitation to what?' was the question.

The Italian plumber went back inside, shutting the door with his foot. He was still entranced by the letter that he wanted to know what it had to say. Setting the rest of the mail down on the table, Luigi took a seat on the couch. Colombo delightfully hopped beside him as he watched him tear the envelope open. Once he pulled out a golden slip of paper, Colombo instantly went to grab the edge with his mouth.

"Aah! Colombo, no!"

He had to tug it away, which wasn't easy for Luigi to do. Colombo, however, was too curious that he wasn't mad at Luigi's actions. The mustachioed man took a moment to read the contents of the invitation out loud.

...

_Congratulations, Luigi!_

_You're the lucky winner of a free stay at a world-class hotel, The Last Resort!_

_We look forward to dazzling you with first-rate hospitality and service. Please be sure to invite any friends or family that you'd like to bring, as well!_

_I have also attached a map to the location of our lavish retreat. Please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible to let our staff be aware of your coming arrival. I hope to see you here!_

_~Hellen Gravely_

_(XOX) OXO-XOXO **(4)**_

...

The thought of spending a vacation at a five-star resort intrigued Luigi. He felt like he needed one to ease all his stress from the construction. Albeit, he has never heard of The Last Resort before, nor was he familiar with the general landscape. Luigi saw another paper inside the envelope. He opened it up to reveal the map of the hotel and its destination in relation to the Mushroom Kingdom. From what it showed, The Last Resort was located up north in the mountainside. It wasn't too far that a plane was necessary to travel. But it was still a relatively long distance from where he lived.

Polterpup was able to understand the message from the letter, barking enthusiastically.

"I don't know, Colombo. This does sound like quite a great experience. But do you remember the last time I was given a mysterious letter for something only to be tricked by it?"

The Polterpup gave a neutral face, tilting his head to the side.

"Oh, right. You weren't there for that adventure. Mamma Mia," he scolded himself, slapping a palm on his forehead. "Well, long story short, I got a letter saying that I somehow won a mansion. So, I invited Mario to check it out. He went ahead, only to be trapped in a painting by King Boo. The mansion was nothing but a ruse."

Colombo genuinely forgot that Luigi explained this story once before, just days after he was adopted. It was during a stormy night when he and Luigi were stuck indoors with nothing to do. The plumber did depict his first mansion adventure that day. The problem was that Colombo was too tired that he slept through most of his storytelling. Now, the memory came back to him. However, he thought that Luigi was being paranoid. He barked twice, trying to convince him otherwise.

"You don't think this is another scam?"

If Colombo could physically talk, he would say to him, _'I don't think so. Staying at a beautiful hotel? That sounds like fun!'_

Luigi glimpsed the mysterious invitation once more. Before he could think about it again, he heard the front door open. He got slightly spooked that he fell off the couch cushion. Mario and Princess Peach entered the living room, the former of whom was still wearing his own builder's outfit.

"Hey, bro! I was going to- Uh, why are you sitting on the floor?" Mario raised an eyebrow.

"Ugh, it's a long story," Luigi complained. Colombo tried to ease the tension off his shoulders by licking his face again. After settling down, Mario lifted him up on his feet.

"Thanks again for helping with the castle repairs, Luigi," Peach appreciated. "Here, I have some leftover strawberry cake that I baked earlier."

"Oh, thanks, Peach. I'll save it for later," he set the plate down on the coffee table.

Mario observed his sibling's facial expressions. Because he knew him too well, he couldn't help but ask the obvious. "Is something up, Luigi? You look a little tense, to be honest."

"I'm not sure if tense is the right term. But I'd say you're in the right ballpark."

"Why do you say that, Luigi?" Peach wondered.

He presented the letter and the map to his friends. "This was dropped off in the mail recently. It's an invitation to invite me on an all-expenses-paid trip to this place called The Last Resort. At first, I thought it was a trick like the time I 'won' that mansion. Then, I figured it was spam from some business trying to con me for money. But looking at this again, it looks like a legitimate invitation. An enigmatic one, nevertheless."

"I don't think this is peculiar," Mario scrutinized the paper. "In fact, this would be a great opportunity to kick back after finishing with the castle repairs. We could all use a break."

Peach nodded her head. "I can agree with that. Besides, you two have done so much for me and my kingdom. A vacation sounds both deserving and essential."

"Well, I might as well ask – would you two like to join me on this getaway?"

"Of course I want to join you, Weegie!" Mario patted his shoulder.

"I'd love to go, too! Ooh, but I'm going to have to pack a lot of luggage," Peach placed a hand on her cheek.

Colombo was already on board from the get-go. "Bark!"

"I guess that answers my question. I'll accept the invitation!" Luigi smiled before shifting his mouth into a frown. He didn't even notice Polterpup trying to tug on the letter in his hand again.

Mario easily detected the distress on his face. "What's wrong, bro?"

"I was thinking about inviting Daisy as well. But I remembered she told me that she had some royal affairs to attend in Sarasaland this week. Aw, man. I never had a chance to spend a vacation with her."

The red plumber understood why he was upset. Thinking of a way to console him, he patted his back comfortably. "Well, at least you'll have us to accompany you. I don't think spending a vacation alone would be a lot of fun. And maybe someday, when the two of you have some free time together, you'll get to enjoy a holiday with each other. It could happen sooner than expected. You never know."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, bro. Hey, maybe if this hotel is a fabulous vacation spot, I could take her there sometime!"

"That's a wonderful idea! I'm sure she would love that!" Peach grinned.

"So when should we get ready?" asked Mario.

"How about tomorrow?"

"That early?" Luigi furrowed his brows. "I mean, Mario and I don't have any plans now that the castle is restored. But that means we'll have to prepare for this vacation at the last second."

"It'll be alright," Mario reassured him. "Besides, we don't have to leave first thing in the morning. We can get ready by the afternoon, head down to the resort before sundown, and get a chance to check out the hotel before staying in for the first night. Then we'll have the rest of the week to enjoy ourselves!"

Colombo, letting go of the letter, liked Mario's plan.

"That sounds terrific!" Peach coincided.

"If you guys say so, then I'll call this Hellen Gravely person and tell her that we'll be arriving tomorrow. After all, she did mention to respond back as soon as possible."

"I better return to the castle and let everyone know that I'll be away on vacation with you all."

"Good idea, Peach. I guess we'll meet at the castle tomorrow then," said Mario.

"Sounds like a plan! Oh, this is going to be so exciting! I can't wait to see what the hotel looks like!"

After Peach said goodbye to the Mario Bros. and departed their house, Luigi tucked the contents back in the envelope. Because Colombo was still fascinated by the invitation, his owner distracted him by giving him a Gold Bone. **_(5)_**

Mario stretched his arms out wide, yawning. "Mamma Mia, it's getting late," he took off his helmet. "I'm gonna retire to my room and get started on packing. You need anything, fratello?"

"Not at the moment, thank you. I'll start packing later."

"Okay, Weege," he began climbing the stairs before turning to him halfway up. "I mean, just think about it. We were about to spend a lazy Saturday here in the Mushroom Kingdom only to be invited to a luxurious hotel in the mountains. I'm really psyched! Hopefully this vacation won't get ruined like the ones on Isle Delfino and Pi'illo Island."

"You know I wasn't there for the first one, right?" Luigi muttered while rubbing Colombo's back.

"Oh, sorry about that."

"Nah, it's okay. I was just playing with you."

Mario chuckled at the taller bro. "Good night, Weegie."

"Good night, Mario."

Luigi fixed his gaze down at his spectral pooch. Polterpup paused from gnawing on his treat to glance back at him. With two enthusiastic barks, the man grinned. Maybe he, Mario, and Peach were right. He could use a vacation to relax and unwind. Plus, his friends will keep him company. The man stood up to walk over to the telephone on the other side of the living room. Typing in the numbers on the golden invitation, he waited for a response on the other end.

"Ahem, thank you for calling The Last Resort. Front desk speaking."

"Hello, my name is Luigi, and I'm calling about an invitation I received from a Ms. Hellen Gravely. I want to let her know that I will accept it and that we'll visit the hotel sometime tomorrow in the late afternoon."

"Oh, splendid!" the concierge delightfully replied. "I'll let the caretaker know right away. I'm positive she'll be ecstatic to hear about your arrival. Don't you worry, sir. We'll make sure you and your friends will have the best vacation ever, guaranteed! Our staff will arrange accommodations for you and your rooms instantly."

"That sounds great! Thanks!"

"It's our pleasure. Heh heh heh, I'm sure you'll never experience a vacation like this. See you tomorrow!"

"Okay, bye!"

Luigi hung up the phone, feeling content that the hotel reservation was set. He returned to Colombo who was now lying on his back, curling his body to entice his owner. The plumber knew what his dog was going for, so he began rubbing his belly. Satisfied, the Polterpup whined happily as he and Luigi played around for the rest of the night.

Despite his earlier thoughts, Luigi was anticipating that he'll get to enjoy a relaxing trip at an extravagant hotel. No villains, no Bowser, no evil, and no tricks to spook the denim overalls off of him.

What could possibly go wrong? It's not like his dream vacation will be a nightmare come true. **_(6)_**

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

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_For those following me since Hidden Bravery, you should know that 'Colombo' is the name I've given to Luigi's Polterpup. If this is the first story by me that you've come across, then that explains it. (I didn't feel like putting this in the Post-Chapter Notes again.)_

_Nonetheless, that marks the end of the prologue of my Luigi's Mansion 3 fanfic! What do you guys think so far? Is there anything I need to fix or improve upon? Let me know in the review box down below, follow and favorite this story for new updates, and I'll see you all in Ch. 1 when Luigi and his friends check in at The Last Resort! This is TheGameNguyener (TGN), signing off._

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**_Post-Chapter Notes:_**

**_(1):_**_ I sort of tied Super Mario Maker 2 to the prologue, mentioning the time difference between that game and Luigi's Mansion 3._

**_(2):_**_ Apparently, Nintendo said the reason why Luigi was absent in Mario Kart Tour until recently was that he lost his keys. Personally, I think it's because he has a better game to star in compared to another mobile game wanting to rip you off._

**_(3):_**_ Italian for "But that's life."_

**_(4):_**_ UPDATE- I found the invitation greeting in the game under the menu when you go to Guide/Settings – Guide – Prologue. Nintendo provides the text of the letter sent by Hellen Gravely. The ending is something I added as its own thing. I also didn't provide a 'real' phone number. I just used random letters similar to how Paper Mario writes out dates and exclusive information. (I couldn't use symbols or Wingdings.)_

**_(5):_**_ The Gold Bone was introduced in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, serving the same purpose as a 1-Up. If Luigi earns enough gold in a mission, he can find one of these. And if he happens to lose all of his health, Polterpup can revive Luigi by taking the Gold Bone. Surprisingly, I didn't know this was a thing until three years AFTER I finished the game. They also return in Luigi's Mansion 3 for the same reason, except you can buy them from E. Gadd with the money he collects in the game. Plus, you can hold more than one bone at a time._

**_(6):_**_ That's a callback to my oneshot._


	2. Ch 1: Enjoy Your Stay

_A/N:__ Wowie zowie! It's been over a week since I uploaded the prologue, and there's already more than **20 favorites** and **20 followers** already! I'm going to take some time to show my appreciation, and it'll be a huge list..._

_To begin, I want to thank dbot, Tiger of Darkness, Infinite's Ruby, Oderus, The Sensational SpiderDom321, IanAlphaAxel, __TAWOGfan2000, XIII Hearts, __and the anonymous Guests for reviewing! Alongside the first seven names, I want to give shoutouts to the others who favorited and/or followed the fic: Bayoboo, FantasyLover88, Pikminfan, danielman21, CatterpillarLuigi, Quill2Voyd, Riku Courtier, divamissy15, ElectricBlaster, Neo Roybot8, TrimusicaDrag00n90, RokketGirl, animegamefanatic, Nexs0me, FireFlamerx9z, StanTheMan700, Jaime64games, SNESWolf21, and LightDust16! __And thank you to everyone else for reading!_

_I hope you guys are enjoying the game if you're playing it already. If you haven't yet, I sure hope you get a chance soon! Regardless, I would highly suggest not reading this until you finish the story campaign. Not only that, please be courteous to other readers by not posting spoilers in the review page. I already finished the story mode, but I'll make sure I don't spoil it to people through PM's or anything like that. Anyway, that's my forewarning._

_Thanks again for the support so far, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 1 of Hotel Horror!_

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_Disclaimer:__ Because this is a Luigi's Mansion 3 fanfic, I am going to post spoilers about the story plot, one chapter at a time. Please do not read if you want to enjoy the game for yourself. I do not own any rights to Mario, Luigi, or the others._

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**Chapter 1:** Enjoy Your Stay...

Today was the day. Luigi, Mario, and Colombo all got up in the morning and finished packing their essentials. Once they were ready, they strolled over to Peach's Castle and met their friends in front of a charter bus. Toadette was kind enough to rent it for the princess and everyone else joining the trip. Although the outside repairs were done, she opted to stay at the castle and maintain the interior décor. Nevertheless, she wished everyone a great, peaceful vacation.

Meanwhile, a trio of Red, Yellow, and Blue Toads were loading a ton of bags that Peach packed. Seriously, she had _a lot_. No less than ten carry-ons! Eventually, they all boarded the bus.

Red Toad was in charge of driving. The gas and brake pedals were designed to help reach his stubby, little feet. Although he could barely see over the driver's wheel, that didn't stop the mushroom retainer. Mario and Peach took the front seats near the door. Yellow and Blue Toad sat behind them. Although Luigi was alone, he couldn't occupy the other front seats since they were stuffed with Peach's luggage. He shrugged to himself, settling in the back of the shuttle. Colombo delightfully walked behind him, sneaking inside his suitcase.

Without leaving anything behind, the bus departed the castle and drove off towards the northern mountainside.

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_Location: Pathway to The Last Resort **(1)**_

The sun shone high in the clear skies of the forest. Crossing the winding road was the charter bus that carried the passengers to their vacation spot. Toad was still comfortable behind the wheel, but he recklessly drifted over the slight curves and hills while maintaining the same speed. As Toad took the right of the fork, everyone on the vehicle nearly lost their balance from the sudden turn. They all felt a couple of bumps beneath the tires, causing Mario, Peach, Yellow, and Blue Toad to sway around. Despite not having any seat belts, they remained seated without falling off. The princess accidentally leaned against Mario with her hands placed on top of his left thigh.

"Whoops! Sorry, Mario!" she apologized.

"Oh, it's okay, Peach," he chuckled. "It was only an accident."

"Is everyone else alright?" Peach looked behind.

"We're okay, Princess!" Yellow responded before going back to his book.

"That's good at least. How about you, Luigi? Oh?"

To her surprise, she saw the green plumber leaning against the window with his eyes closed, snoring softly. His mustache twitched every time he breathed out.

"Fettuccini..." he mumbled.

Mario turned around and saw his brother. He couldn't help but laugh again. "Heh, sometimes, he just never changes. And that's what I love about him."

Peach giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "He really is a heavy sleeper. A fast one, too! I'm almost certain he's been like that since we left the castle!"

"He better not fall asleep when we get a tour of the hotel. Otherwise, we'll never get anywhere!" Mario joked.

"Do you think we're getting closer to it?"

"I'm not sure. It's supposed to be tall and extravagant, but I don't see it from here."

Meanwhile, Blue Toad was juggling his baseball around until it accidentally slipped out of his hand. "Oh no!" he cried as the ball rolled past Yellow and under Luigi's seat. "Man, I'll have to get it when the bus stops."

Luigi was still snoring with his left hand resting on his stomach. When the bus started to shake again, the bumps startled Luigi since he nearly fell out of his chair. The younger Mario brother panicked and leaned back against the cushion, exhaling after the small scare. He glanced outside the window, catching the view of the green hills of the forest. A river complemented with the scenery. Still tired from his afternoon nap, he yawned loudly, stretching his arms and legs. He was about to rest again until Colombo popped out of his suitcase.

"Bark! Bark!"

"Wah!" Luigi jumped. "Easy, Colombo! I know you're ecstatic and all, but don't try to scare me like that!"

The Polterpup eagerly shook his head as he waved around a piece of paper in his mouth. Specifically, it was the golden invitation Luigi received yesterday. Wanting to read the letter again, the plumber tried to tug it away from his dog. Colombo resisted at first, causing Luigi to struggle. Eventually, the latter won the tug-of-war and reread the contents on the slip. The Polterpup went back to panting happily.

Luigi dreamt about what the hotel will look like in person. Fantasizing at the thought, he sighed. Then, he flinched when Colombo unexpectedly licked his cheek.

"Heh heh, I see you're excited too, huh, boy?"

Colombo replied with a bark before cuddling next to his owner. After Luigi tucked the letter away, he started rubbing the Polterpup's body.

"Aw, who's a good boy? That's right, you are!" he snickered as Colombo enjoyed the massage.

"I see that Luigi's awake now," Mario whispered to Peach.

"Teehee, those two are so cute together! I never would've thought that Luigi would adopt a pet ghost at all."

"Neither did I. But after he saved me from Evershade Valley, he's been attached to Polterpup for years. It's pretty cool how they get along so well."

Meanwhile, Colombo was lying on his back. Despite being upside down, he spotted something outside. He barked twice to get Luigi's attention. Although the man was surprised, he turned around and was stunned at the sight. Luigi got out of his seat and gasped when he saw a large, golden building. His mouth opened wide in awe and excitement while Polterpup panted in front of the glass.

By then, Toad saw the open entrance and drove onto the front courtyard. The side of the bus hit the metal gate.

"Oh! I hope I didn't scratch the paint on that," he frowned.

"Remind me again; when did Toad get a bus permit?" Mario raised an eyebrow at the princess.

"Uh... I'm not sure. You can try asking him if you want."

"I bet it hasn't been a week," he assumed. "Hey, Toad, thanks for driving us here. Out of curiosity, when'd you learn how to drive a bus like this?"

"Thanks, Mario! Don't worry, I'm a professional! I just got my bus permit yesterday!"

The red hero blinked as a bead of sweat dripped from his forehead. The pink princess couldn't help but chuckle at his unamused expression. Nevertheless, Toad slowed the bus down and came to a stop in front of the hotel. The electronic door opened up as Peach went off first. Mario followed behind with an avid jump.

"Oh yeah! We're finally here!"

"It's about time, too! It looks stunning from here. I can't wait to see the interior," Peach clasped her hands.

"Well, here we go. After you, Peach," he gestured.

"Thank you, Mario. Here we go!"

The plumber turned around to guide Blue and Yellow who were carrying Peach's luggage. Mario clapped his hands and waved them down the steps.

"Okay, easy does it. Come on, almost there!"

"I got it! I got it!" shouted Yellow Toad.

"Right behind you!" called Blue.

"Okey-dokey! Let's go!" Mario ran to catch up to Peach.

While Blue and Yellow made it off the bus safely, Red Toad was ready to go until he accidentally slipped off the driver's seat. His large head plopped on the aisle before bouncing on the steps. He landed outside on the concrete, his head once again mitigating the fall. Toad ignored the pain and got up quickly.

"Yahoo! I'm glad I didn't fail my bus driver's exam for the thirty-ninth time! **_(2)_** All that hard work paid off!"

Luigi was the next one to depart the bus, holding his green carry-on with both hands. Getting a chance to stand up again, he stretched his body and sighed with satisfaction. He was already anticipating this vacation. Colombo was the last to leave. The Polterpup jumped over his head, causing Luigi to duck. He landed near his shoes and started running around him. The man in green chuckled at his enthusiasm.

"Come on, Colombo! I'll catch up to you."

He watched the spectral canine run ahead to where the others waited. As Mario, Peach, and the Toads entered inside, Luigi got a better view of the hotel, staring up at the humongous skyscraper.

"Oh... Wowie zowie!" he exclaimed. Luigi didn't waste any time as he headed up the steps and opened the door. Colombo was still on the porch as he waited for his owner to walk in first.

The second he did, Luigi was amazed. He took in his surroundings, admiring the flashy, gold décor of the hotel lobby. It was an inviting atmosphere filled with presents, tapestries, sweets, and more. The most noticeable embellishments were the large frames of Toad, Luigi, Mario, and Peach hung above the front desk. As Luigi set his luggage down, Colombo ambled past him before settling on the carpet. Peach was standing near the desk, also enjoying the layout. The Toads were loading the princess's bags onto a luggage cart. Mario was enticed by a table of desserts. He could hear his stomach growling.

"Oh, here I go!" he ran over with a watering mouth.

Luigi looked down at his pet, the wide grin never leaving his face. "You want to go explore, Colombo?"

"Arf! Arf!"

"I'll take that as a yes!"

Luigi and Colombo went up to a sign on the right. It read, 'Welcome to The Last Resort, home of the most memorable vacations ever had!' Eager to see the rest of the lobby, the plumber and dog went over to see Mario next. The red man reached over to grab a slice of strawberry cake.

"Ooh, yummy! Oh, hey, bro!" he greeted him. "They really went all out with this hotel."

"They sure did. I love it already!"

"And look! They have strawberry cake, one of my favorites!"

"Is it as good as Peach's cakes?"

"I don't know. I was about to figure out my-" Before Mario could finish his sentence, Colombo popped out from the floor and landed on the dessert table. He leaned over Mario's hand and gulped the cake in one big bite.

"Oh!" Mario was surprised.

"Bark! Bark!"

"Oh, doggy! You silly Polterpup!" Mario put his hands on his hips. However, he gave the ghost a smirk. Colombo vanished from a backflip. "At least they have more here! I'll catch up with you soon, Luigi!"

"Okay, Mario!"

Luigi went over to the west wing of the lobby. He approached a table with presents, balloons, and a bouquet of flowers. Polterpup reappeared with a set of roses in his mouth. Luigi opened up a loose box and slightly jumped when confetti and firecrackers blew up in the air. After looking around, he went up to a desk with a man using the rotary phone. The man had black hair, a mustache, and a hotel uniform.

"Um, hello?" Luigi gave him a wave.

"Hmm? Oh, how are you doing, sir?" the concierge replied, covering the phone's speaker with his hand.

"I'm well, thank you. Am I interrupting something?"

"Actually, yes. I'm in the middle of a phone call. Is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing yet. Sorry to bother you."

"No worries. I hope nothing is making your stay here less than perfect... Our entire staff is devoted to providing you with the ideal vacation experience! Heh heh heh..."

"My friends and I are looking forward to it. Thank you!"

The concierge didn't reply back as he watched the green plumber walk away. He gave him a long stare... with his weird-looking eyes.

Meanwhile, Luigi went over to the Toads. Red and Yellow were trying to balance a stack of bags on top of each other. But based on the arrangement, it was turning into the Leaning Tower of Luggage.

"Hhhhrrrggg! Princess Peach definitely didn't forget to pack anything..." Red Toad grunted.

_"She sure packed a lot of stuff, too,"_ Luigi sweatdropped.

"Ah, Luigi! What's up with you?" he turned around, forgetting about his task.

Luigi didn't answer as he saw the tower of bags collapse. The mess caused some of the luggage to bump into the cart where Blue Toad rested. He fell forward and got his head stuck in between the open space.

"Uh, Toad?"

"Huh? Ahhh! Oh no! S-Sorry, Blue!" he went over and started pulling on his shoe. Luigi did a facepalm as he saw him struggle.

"My head's stuck! I can't get out!" he cried loudly.

Rolling his eyes, the green man went over and carefully removed the bags to help out his friends. Blue Toad was back on his feet.

"Phew! Thanks, Luigi!"

He gave him a thumbs-up, albeit a sarcastic one. If Red Toad couldn't handle carrying luggage, let alone drive a bus cleanly, he didn't know what else could happen at this point.

Luigi left the Toads to finish their duty. He and Colombo walked up to the princess who beamed at them.

"How do you like the hotel so far?" asked Peach.

"I'm just as astonished as you are, Peach," Luigi replied. Colombo followed with two barks.

"That's wonderful! I mean, this hotel is so big! It's gorgeously decorated, too! You're so lucky to have gotten an invitation to come here! Thanks again for inviting all of us."

"You're welcome, Princess. I'm glad I can spend it with you guys. Hopefully, I'll do the same with Daisy."

"I'm sure you will, Luigi. She'll love this place!" Polterpup agreed as he got up on his hind legs and pressed them to the hem of her pink dress. Peach giggled and crouched down to scratch Colombo's head. The dog whined joyfully and gave her a gentle lick. "Hee hee! Why don't you two explore more of the lobby? I'll be waiting here, so there's no need to rush."

"Okay. I'll be back soon!"

"Take your time!"

The mustachioed plumber went over to the east side of the first floor. He saw a few more members of the hotel staff – one was in front of a door, another was near the elevator, and a third employee was holding a tray.

"Hello, guest! Please make yourself comfortable... Perhaps you'd like to sample our selection of beverages? May I recommend our famous tea? This one's on the house. We'll have to charge you for more after you settle in though."

Luigi was given a piping cup and carefully took a sip. The flavor was refreshing to him. "Tastes great! Thank you!"

The plumber sauntered past a sitting area and approached the hotel member guarding a gold door. "What do you think of the hotel? We take pride in the luxury and splendor it offers!" he leaned in front of him.

"I'm loving it so far! This place looks phenomenal!" Luigi was distracted by the hotel's beauty that he didn't realize the strange abnormality standing in front of him.

Well... not exactly _standing_, per se...

The employee's pant legs were floating above his shoes. Colombo sniffed around him, noticing the strange appearance. However, he didn't react whatsoever.

Luigi wandered to the elevator where a disgruntled employee leaned against the wall. "My apologies for the inconvenience, but the elevator is temporarily out of service. We should have it in tip-top shape soon!"

"Ooh, that does sound like a problem. Hopefully, it'll be fixed by then."

Lastly, he returned to the center of the lobby and was about to head up the right set of stairs, but a staff member stopped him. "Sorry, sir, but we're actually furnishing the rest of the second floor at the moment. We apologize for not getting ready before your arrival."

"That's okay. There's no reason to apologize. We'll check it out later when it's ready."

"Thanks for your cooperation. Now then, it appears that you haven't checked in yet. Please make your way to the front desk. It's right over there..."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. Checking in is the first most important thing when going to a hotel! Thank you!"

"My pleasure..." the man trailed off, keeping his eyes on him.

Luigi's friends have finished browsing the lobby and getting the luggage cleaned. Once they were all ready, he rang the bell on the desk. Working from behind was the Steward.

"Ah! Welcome, guests, to The Last Resort!" he greeted with an extremely large grin on his face. "We've been dying for you all to enjoy a splendid, once-in-a-lifetime experience at our hotel. First things first, are all of you ready to check in?"

"I would say we're good to go," replied Luigi. Everyone else agreed.

"Fantastic! Now, if I may, allow me to introduce you to our hotel manager! Please, look above!"

Standing at the top of the stairwell was a tall woman in purple skin and blue hair. She was clothed in a white dress with the bottom of it colored in light blue. The woman also had circular earrings, a bracelet on her left wrist, a purple pendant necklace, a blue feather boa around her neck and arms, black shades, and a ton of makeup.

"Guests! Welcome to The Last Resort! My name is Hellen Gravely, and I am the owner of this hotel. I am absolutely delighted that you decided to accept my invitation." She proceeded to glide down the steps quickly. She kindly approached Luigi and the party behind him. "You all must be very tired from your trip. Come! Allow me to show you to your rooms. It is a personal privilege of mine to offer you the room keys."

"That's very nice of you, Mrs. Gravely," Peach curtsied.

"Let's go grab our stuff," said Yellow Toad.

"Oh, no need to worry about your luggage! Our exceptional staff will take care of it for you. We don't want to tire you even more with manual labor. Hahaha... after all, you're our VIP guests, which means you'll get to stay at our VIP Suites, located on the fifth floor of this marvelous hotel!"

"VIP Suites? How about that, Luigi?" Mario patted his back, smirking.

"Sounds pretty good to me."

The Steward went over to haul Luigi and Mario's suitcases as well as five of Peach's carry-ons. The remainder of her luggage was still on the other cart that the Toads used. Hellen bent closer to Luigi, causing him to lean back. She applied some makeup to her cheeks with a powder puff. The dust particles tickled Luigi's nose.

"We've prepared a first-rate experience for you. All the trappings of luxury! Shall we get going?"

After one last application, the powder cloud got to Luigi as he closed his eyes. He couldn't hold it in and sneezed loudly, the hairs of his mustache tingling. He really hoped he won't get diagnosed with mesothelioma anytime soon.

The elevator was repaired in time for Hellen to guide them over. The Toads went in first with Mario, Peach, Luigi, and Colombo following them from behind. Hellen was the last one in and pressed the '**5**' button.

Now, it was time for everyone's favorite pastime. Looking straight at the elevator door through a period of complete awkward silence.

At one point, Colombo broke the moment by barking. Luigi calmly petted him to quiet him down. Unbeknownst to him and the others, Hellen stretched her red-stained lips to the side. Her frown eventually disappeared when the bell rang. The doors opened up, allowing everyone to settle in the elevator lobby.

"Now then, I shall hand you the keys to your hotel rooms," Hellen handed them out one by one. "Princess Peach, you will take the closest room to your right, Room 501. Mario, I have your key for Room 502. Luigi, you and your... puppy will head down at the end of the hallway to Room 503. **_(3)_** We've prepared rooms for you Toads as well! You'll be staying at 504 through 506 down the hall to your left. Do you have any questions before I let you all go?"

"I think we're fine," Luigi responded.

"Yes, I believe so. Thanks again, ma'am," said Peach.

"Fabulous. I hope you enjoy your stay at our VIP Suites! I daresay you'll remember it for the rest of your lives! Hahaha..."

"Let's get situated in our rooms and rest for a bit," suggested Mario. "Then later, we can explore the hotel together and see what it has to offer."

"Sounds like a plan!" Peach nodded.

The Toads went over to their left while Mario, Peach, Luigi, and Colombo went down the hallway to the right. Hellen waved them goodbye until they disappeared from the corner. The smile remained on her face before she promptly returned to the elevator and headed up to the penthouse. Eventually, it changed into a sinister smirk before the doors closed.

Peach reached her room and waved to the Mario Bros. "Hope you two rest well!"

"Thanks, Peach!" Mario replied as he headed to his room.

Luigi also waved to the princess before passing his big brother. He took a moment to face him. "Night-night, Mario!"

"Night-night, Luigi!"

The man in green finally got to his suite as Colombo hopped behind him. "Ready, boy?"

"Arf!" Colombo didn't wait very long as he vanished through the wall.

Luigi grabbed his hotel key and unlocked the door. Like the rest of the building, he was impressed with the design and the beautiful accommodations.

"Mamma Mia," he gasped.

Colombo reappeared and rested on the bed as his owner browsed the room. To his right was a sitting area with two recliners and a tea tray. To his left, he opened a desk drawer and became frightened when a hand popped out from a spring. It wasn't the most inviting thing he came across since it spooked him. Then again, he has admitted how he can be scared over the littlest things. Afterward, he went over and opened up the wardrobe. The plumber was greeted with another surprise as a happy emoji sprung out.

"Man, they really want to astound me with all this stuff."

Luigi took a moment to check out the bathroom. The golden colors made Luigi's eyes widen as they brightened up the room. Colombo soon joined him as he sat in front of the bathtub.

"Well, Colombo, what do you think?" he crouched down.

The Polterpup licked his face yet again, making Luigi chortle. Another pet on the head made his ghostly tail wag, enjoying the soft fabric of his gloves scratching him.

"Aw, Polterpup... What would I do without you?"

Colombo only replied with another ghostly bark before heading back to the bed.

Luigi returned to the main room and began settling in. His suitcase was already placed on the mattress courtesy of the staff. He opened it to reveal the contents inside: a fresh set of his green shirt and navy-blue overalls (in case his current pair got dirty), a pair of black swimming trunks with green stripes on the sides, underwear, socks, pajamas, a book, and his trusty flashlight. **_(4)_** He tossed the latter two onto the pillow before closing up his luggage. He pushed it to the other edge of the bed and climbed on top of the sheets... with his shoes on. Placing his flashlight on the bedside table, he made himself comfortable while Polterpup sat beside him. Both of them were ready to rest for the night, but Luigi decided to read his book before falling asleep. Dusting off the front cover, he inhaled deeply, leaned back against the pillow, opened the book, and-

"ZZZZZ..."

Colombo blinked twice with his tail pointing straight up. He was shocked to see his owner conked out in a single second. Luigi's mouth was wide open with the book lying over his lap. His mustache fluttered every time he snored.

However, Colombo just rolled with it.

He settled down on the bed, but not before he opened his eyes for a little while. Eventually, the ghostly dog began his slumber while the Z's took over Luigi.

Little did the green plumber know that he was going to wake up with a new surprise looming from the shadows...

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_I was going to add something else to this chapter, but I feel like this is a good stopping point as we got to see Luigi and the others check out the hotel. The introduction to Luigi's Mansion 3 has some of my favorite cutscenes since Mario and Luigi talk more often and show how expressive they can be. Both of them saying 'Night-night' to each other... Ah, it makes me die happy on the inside. Also, you can pet the Polterpup in the game. Instant buy._

_However, this is basically where all the fun ends as we dive deeper into the story. What do I mean by that? Unless you haven't played the game, you should know. Alas, that will have to wait until next time. Until then, please review down below, follow/favorite the story for more updates, and I'll see you all in Ch. 2 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

**_Post-Chapter Notes:_**

**_(1):_**_ The Last Resort was seen somewhere in a forest near the mountains. I tried researching the name of the general area, but I couldn't find anything. The location is pretty ambiguous, but it's just as enticing yet deceiving as the mansion that Luigi 'won' in the first game._

**_(2):_**_ He's taken his exam thirty-seven times and failed all of them... Okay, thirty-eight. At least he didn't cheat on attempt #39. (This is a SpongeBob reference, not a canon thing.)_

**_(3):_**_ This was one of the errors I made in my oneshot, A Nightmare Come True (written after the E3 trailer). I assumed Luigi stayed in Room 501 and Peach was in 503. It ended up being the other way around. There are more predictions that I got wrong, but I'll explain them as we move forward. Nonetheless, I did mention a disclaimer in that story and in No Turning Back that what I wrote may not be true._

_Also, I know they don't have hotel keys for their respective rooms, but come on... You'd expect they would have some privacy besides putting out a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on their door handles... which is something The Last Resort doesn't include. How's that for a strange hotel?_

**_(4):_**_ I find it amusing how Luigi only packed another set of his usual attire and practically nothing else. Even his suitcase is designed like it! I added the swimming trunks as a slight reference to Mario & Sonic at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We had shirtless Mario in Mario Odyssey, so why not do the same for the other male humans? (Eggman and Wario though... Nintendo and Sega really went for that route.)_


	3. Ch 2: The (King's) Last Resort

_A/N__: Before we begin, there's a poll on my profile to decide which characters should be in the tags alongside Luigi. Feel free to head there and vote. I'll be taking down the poll around Thanksgiving._

_Next, there is a special review from a user named XIII Hearts that intrigued me. Their suggestion was to add the Portrait Ghosts from the first Luigi's Mansion game and create some dual fights with the Boss Ghosts in LM3. After taking some time to think about it, and asking them for permission, I will include their idea into this novelization. Now, I won't say who exactly will appear, and I don't know if I can incorporate all of the Portrait Ghosts to return, but I'm going to try my best with what I can come up with. Thank you, XIII Hearts, for reviewing and allowing me to use your idea! If anyone wants to help or suggest concepts, let me know!_

_There were also a few comments asking me to give the Boss Ghosts personalities. Don't worry, I will make sure to give them some commentary. The main one is Hellen Gravely, but the Steward and Morty are the only other Boss Ghosts (not including King Boo) that have at least one line of dialogue while everyone else only makes ghostlike sounds. That is something I will try to work around._

_I also want to thank FairyTalePrincess16, IanAlphaAxel, LightDusk16, Murasaki Dokugi, animegamefanatic, Oderus, Infinite's Ruby, and Tiger of Darkness for reviewing the first main chapter! Alongside Fairy and Murasaki, I appreciate King-Dorado, brice51297, JFiniti Productions, Sombrastrike, and Suppet-O for the follows and favorites! And thanks to everyone else for reading along! Onto Chapter 2 of Hotel Horror!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Spoilers to LM3 will be featured here, so please exit this page to avoid them. Nintendo owns the property of Luigi's Mansion and the Mario characters._

* * *

**Chapter 2:** The (King's) Last Resort

Hours later, the afternoon sun was replaced by a full lit moon while the sky changed to a shade of dark purple. The evening had struck, and everyone was still settling in their suites. Red, Yellow, and Blue Toad decided to play games, setting up a pretend mini-golf course in Red's suite, Room 506. **_(1)_** Blue Toad, with a golf club in his hands, was getting ready to putt.

"Okay, line it up, and... Oh!"

He swung with a bit too much power as the golf ball ricocheted off the walls and hit the face of the wardrobe. Thankfully, it didn't crash into the glass windows.

"Whew... That was a close call," Yellow Toad wiped the sweat off his head.

"No kidding. We don't want to be charged for damaged property!" exclaimed Red Toad.

"Okay, who's next?" Blue Toad waved his club.

"I'm up! Now let's see..."

Red Toad was lining up his shot until a clap of thunder roared outside. Yellow and Blue jumped from the sound. Suddenly, the lamp lights flickered until they went out.

"Oh no! I can't see! How am I supposed to putt now?"

"Let's find a light switch or a flashlight. Anything that'll brighten up this place," said Yellow.

Red reached his arms out, blindly walking around. He bumped into a few bags on the floor before accidentally stubbing his foot into the recliner. Despite the room being pitch black, the moonlight barely helped him see. He was able to find a flashlight near his red luggage.

"There we go. Now I can see things clearly!"

"AAHHH!" he heard the other Toads unexpectedly scream.

"What's wrong, guys? I have my flashlight. We're not in the dark any... more..." Red dropped the device after turning around. What he saw made him speechless. He saw Blue and Yellow in midair, stuck inside two picture frames. Behind them was a pair of glowing, purple pupils, looking down at the frightened retainer.

An evil laugh echoed inside the bedroom. When Red looked up, he gulped in fear.

"Welcome to your worst nightmare... Come, join your friends," the evil voice hissed.

Toad instantly panicked, flailing his arms around. "WAAAH! I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

"Leaving so soon? Why, you're going to miss out on the welcoming party... where I welcome your frightened face into your own portrait!"

"NOOO!" Red Toad struggled to open the door. It was to no avail since the door was jammed shut. Trapped inside his room, a painting appeared with a swirling vortex shining ominously in front of him. There was no escape. His body was swallowed whole inside the frame.

* * *

"Ooh, Mamma Mia... How much pizza did I eat?" Mario groaned, patting his pudgy stomach. There was a large pile of boxes and soda cups stacked all over his table and the dining cart. "I should've ordered less room service and actually have a meal with my friends. At least everything was delicious, especially the pepperoni and mushroom pizza! Hmm... I wonder how Luigi's doing. After all, he's technically the main VIP living the life. Heh, unless he's fallen asleep again."

Mario got off his chair and was about to head over to his brother's suite. Just as his feet touched the floor, he heard a strange yet familiar sound. He paused for a moment, looking around his room. When he heard the sound again, his eyebrows lowered and his fists clenched.

"Who's there? I know you're in here!"

Out of nowhere, Mario felt something whack him in the back. He fell forward into the pizza boxes as they scattered onto the floor. Then he felt a shockwave, his suitcase busting open from the impact. His personal belongings, including his extra pair of clothing and customized slippers, flew out in different directions.

"Holy ravioli! What is going on here?!"

Another cackle echoed in his bedroom. He was struck once again, bumping into the side of a recliner. Despite the pain, he managed to get up quickly. The red-clad man desperately searched for the invisible source causing the mayhem.

But no matter how hard he tried, he was getting beaten up, feeling smacks against his face and body. The worst part about it was that he felt something wet seep through his shirt.

"Ugh, gross! What's even hitting me that's making me all sticky?"

"I think I can answer that..."

Mario froze. Never had he ever felt chills running down his spine like this. With bulging eyes, he sluggishly turned around to where he heard the voice. As soon as he did, he became speechless.

Speechless and frightened.

"NO! LUI-"

He was about to yell out his sibling's name, but it was too late. A portrait fell on top of him. Behind the frame was the one responsible for his kidnapping.

And it was his third successful attempt.

Despite the rumbling that went on in Room 502, Luigi slept through the entire thing. He didn't even hear his brother scream.

* * *

Peach was reading a beauty magazine in her room until she heard something from next door. She heard several bumps and crashing objects which startled her.

"Oh dear... Is Mario sleepwalking again? Or rather, sleep fighting?"

Not too long ago, there was a time when Mario stayed over at her castle, and he ended up making a lot of noise one night. When Peach got to his guest room, she came across him fighting enemies in his sleep. With his eyes closed, Mario was jumping all over the place with a fist punching upward like the way he hits a Question Mark block. To say the least, Peach was surprised before she helped him wake up. The princess was more shaken when she found out that Mario had a nightmare of Bowser kidnapping her in an attempt to forcefully marry her again. Out of instinct, Mario was only trying to protect her from something rash, even if it was in his dreams.

For her to hear reckless sounds from his room made her worrisome like before. Peach set down her magazine, dusted off her dress, and headed for the door. Before she could turn the handle, she heard a resonating snicker.

"W-Who's there?" she stuttered.

"It's only your worst nightmare..." the spooky voice responded. At the same time, a couple of teacups started to move on their own. Peach didn't move a muscle as she watched them fall to the floor. Surprisingly, they didn't break. Nonetheless, she was creeped out. Things got eerie when some of her makeup fell off her desk.

Peach had her hands clenched near her chest, trembling uncontrollably. "W-What? But... this is supposed to be a five-star resort, not a haunted house!"

"That's where you're wrong, Ms. Gullible Princess! You and your stupid plumber friends are foolish to realize that this was only a ploy."

"A ploy?"

"In fact, your special hero has already overstayed his welcome here. He's finished with his holiday now, and he's dying for you to join him..."

"What are you talking about? And who are you?"

Just then, a painting of Mario materialized out of thin air. It floated directly in front of her. There, she saw Mario's shocked expression inside the frame.

A silent but tragic gasp escaped her lips. Her gloved hands covered her mouth. "M-M-Mario?"

"Indeed... Your little, red plumber is back where he belongs!"

Peach had an epiphany. She recalled the times when Mario was stuck inside a painting. It happened not just once, but twice. She remembered when Luigi explained how he had to rescue him both times. The villain accountable for kidnapping her hero was...

Oh, crap.

"No... No..." Tears started to form in her eyes. "Are you-"

Before Peach could finish her thoughts, the voice interrupted her. "Tell me now, how is it like to be captured countless times by that arrogant Koopa King? He at least has the decency to let you breathe inside of a cage. But for me, I'm not merciful like that despicable turtle. I'm here for revenge and locking you up inside a painting for eternity is a far worse punishment! You can thank that green-clothed twit you call a friend for driving me to the brink! It's only a matter of time until he falls victim, too."

"No! Don't hurt Luigi, I beg of you!"

"He's responsible for trapping me into that old professor's ghost container. But now I'm free, and I won't take orders from you, even if you're royalty as well. That cowardly plumber will rue the day he sucked me into that ridiculous vacuum! Now, enough talking. I think it's time you enjoy your new vacation spot..."

A brand-new picture frame showed up beside Mario. Peach backed up against the door in fear. She was trying to find the handle, but her eyes were glued to the purple, swirling vortex. Although she managed to get a hold of it, the door wouldn't open. With no way to escape, she shrieked loudly as a roar of thunder boomed outside the hotel.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Wah!" Luigi sprung up from his bed. He woke up to not a nightmare, but to a loud yelp. He took a minute to catch his breath, but his mouth kept quivering. The plumber quickly noticed how murky it was in his room. The suite used to be welcoming and vibrant with gold. Now, it was intimidating in purple with darkness all around him. Luigi inspected his surroundings once more, noting the major changes in his room that made it look terrifying.

The flowers on his bedside table and the recliner were replaced with large plants with thorns. There was a set of balloons to his right, engraved with scary, glow-in-the-dark faces. Lastly, the entire floor was covered in fog, making it hard to see where he could step.

"Uh oh," he mumbled as he got off the bed. Reaching for his flashlight, he turned it on. "Hello? Colombo? A-Are you here?"

His Polterpup was nowhere to be found. Luigi was worried that Colombo might have escaped or run away before the room transformed into some sort of freak show. Curiously, he went to a nearby drawer and opened it.

"AAHHH!" he jumped when firecrackers popped in his ears. He ended up dropping the flashlight on the floor. "Th-that... that should _not_ be a thing at all!"

As if it couldn't get any worse, he opened the desk drawer again, only this time it had a claw reaching out to him. He even had the guts to reopen the wardrobe, only to be spooked by a bat decoration.

"C-Come on! How many jump scares does it take to kill me?"

His face felt a little dry from his slumber, so he decided to wash up in the bathroom. Unfortunately, it was just as dark and freaky as the suite. A rat scuttled through the fog and into a hole in the wall. Luigi recoiled, lifting a foot in the air. He went over to the sink and turned the knob. But there was no running water coming out of the faucet. The plumber tried using the shower instead. Sadly, the same result occurred. That's when he took a glance at the toilet.

"Ugh, as if I'm going to wash my face with toilet water," he scoffed. "I may have experience with plumbing, but that would be disgusting!"

Luigi was back to his worried state as he was all alone in his room. He figured that Mario, Peach, or the Toads can calm him down. The man tip-toed over to his door and went out into the hallway. He continued to shudder at why his hotel room has changed drastically. Then, he noticed something glowing to his right. When he spotted the light, he slightly panicked.

"Aah! What the heck?"

The hallway's golden color was being drained and masked by a radiating source of purple energy. The magical wave stretched all the way down to the corner leading to the Toads' bedrooms. Everything in sight was no longer vivid or full of life.

The VIP Suites weren't looking very glamorous anymore.

"What is going on here? Am I hallucinating? This has to be a dream, right?" Luigi questioned himself. He genuinely wasn't sure if this was real or if he's gone loco. Because of his sleeping habits, he has been through some crazy stuff in the past.

Before he went over to Mario and Peach's rooms, he explored the end of the dim corridor. He came across a door hatch on the wall.

"Hmm? Is this some kind of laundry chute or something?" his voice began to echo when he leaned forward. He barely felt his hat falling off. "Wah! Oh no, I don't want to lose that!"

Placing the cap back on, the man in green turned around and headed towards his brother's room. He had to walk around the luggage cart carrying the rest of Peach's stuff. Luigi cringed at the set of skulls placed on a table, more scary-looking balloons, and a gargoyle statue. Once he got to Room 502, he saw a dining cart full of plates and one of Mario's suitcases. He was about to enter inside until a spider crawled out from a hole and climbed up the wall.

"Yah! D'oh, why? Why spiders?! Why couldn't there be butterflies instead?!" Luigi complained.

After entering inside, he saw several pizza boxes and sodas. There were even leftover pepperoni slices lying around. He didn't expect his older brother to have a feast of his own, but food was not the main issue here.

Mario was nowhere to be found.

Luigi wasn't able to access the bathroom, Mario's clothes were wrinkled and all over the place, one of the chairs was lying on its side... The place was a complete mess. Thankfully, he wasn't a neat freak to even worry about the clutter. He was more focused on finding his brother.

"M-M-Mario? Please, answer me! Where are you?" his voice cracked.

He tried checking for any clues or traces Mario might've left to indicate his current location. Opening the drawers proved to be ineffective when one of them had another sharp claw springing out while the other released a cloud of dust.

"Achoo! Darn it... Stupid allergies. Maybe Mario went to see Princess Peach. Yeah, that makes sense."

Luigi cautiously made his way past a housekeeping cart and made it to Room 501. He knocked twice on her door.

"Peach? You in there? Mario?" He paused for a second before blushing. "Am I interrupting at a bad time?"

To be safe, the man knocked again, yet there was no answer. He slowly walked inside to observe Peach's room. Most of her luggage was found in the corners or in front of her bathroom. Then, he saw the closet door move. Luigi gulped, knowing that this won't be delightful in the slightest.

"Mario, Peach, if you're hiding in there to freak the crap out of me, it's not going to work! I'm already scared! My knees are buckling, for Grambi's sake!"

He cautiously pulled the doors open. The first thing that came out was the face of an orange beast. It startled Luigi at first, but the plumber jumped five feet in the air when more puppets popped out in front of him. The firecracker sounds blew his eardrums out.

"Mamma Mia!" Luigi groaned while rubbing his ears. "I hate that so much! This is why I get scared of having a surprise birthday party! I can never handle stuff like that!"

Luigi remained on the floor to compose himself. His heart was pounding against his ribcage, but he relaxed a little. Grabbing his flashlight, he figured that Peach and Mario weren't playing games. Yet he can't help but wonder where they are. If they're not in any of their rooms, did they go see the Toads? Did they decide to roam the hotel without him?

Or even worse... Could something bad happen to them while he was asleep?

Luigi didn't want to think about it. It was the last thing he wanted on his mind.

Helpless, the mustached man exited the princess's room. He was about to head down to Rooms 504 to 506, but the sound of the elevator lift caught his attention. Although he couldn't see, the arrow on the dial moved to the left, indicating that someone was going down from a higher level. The sound of the bell made Luigi gulp. Someone has definitely arrived on the fifth floor.

"If I'm lucky, it's only Mario and Peach coming from wherever they went. Maybe they know what's wrong with this hotel."

With the flashlight in hand, Luigi carefully made his way to the elevator lobby. He was met with a purple beam and some fog flowing from within the elevator. A visitor floated – not walked, _floated_ – out the doors. Her presence caused Luigi to wince.

It was the hotel owner, Hellen Gravely. Her sunglasses were gone, revealing a set of yellow eyes with purple eyeshadow and liner. The most significant feature was her transparent body. She glanced to her right and saw the plumber. A smirk appeared on her lips as she came up close to him.

"Well well well! If it isn't my MOST esteemed VIP! I was just on my way to see you... Is your room living up to your expectations? Doesn't it SCREAM good taste?" the purple entity chuckled.

Luigi was flabbergasted, unable to form coherent thoughts or come up with any words to speak. All he did was awkwardly stare up at Hellen with hesitation.

"Hahaha, I can't help but admire your expression. It's kind of cute, to be honest."

_"Since when is me being scared **cute** at all?!"_ he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I can barely contain myself. You have no idea how much I wanted you to accept my invitation! I'm sure you're thinking to yourself, 'Why is that?' Am I right? I'm sure you're wondering. Hahaha..."

"Ahem," Luigi coughed, finding his voice again. "Ms. Hellen... Uh, Ms. Gravely, excuse me, but can you please get to the point? And do you happen to know where Mario is?"

"You're quite persistent, aren't you?" she replied. The grin hasn't left her see-through face. "You see, there is someone out there that I truly adore! He's the inspiration for some of my greatest ideas... Like inviting you here!"

"Inspiration? Inviting me?" Luigi reiterated. He was having trouble putting the puzzle pieces together. It's someone Hellen admires, and this person so happens to have done something that enthused her to do the same thing. Off the top of his head, he was drawing an utter blank.

"I have to admit, I'm such a huge fan of his work! That's why it's so wonderful that I get to introduce him to none other than my special guest: YOU! That's right, Luigi! I'm dying for you to reunite with each other. I sure hope you're ready!"

Hellen's arms stretched out as a translucent cloak appeared from behind. Once she set them down and veered off to the side, her idol emerged in front of Luigi.

It was a large Boo with a purple-jeweled crown, sparkling violet eyes, fangs, and a long, blue tongue. His evil cackle echoed in the hallway.

Luigi finally figured out the puzzle. And when he saw his face...

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

This was too real to be a nightmare come true...

...because it _was_ a nightmare come true.

"Mwah ha ha! Surprise, Luigi! It's-a me, King Boo!" the ghost mocked. "How are you enjoying your time at the VIP Suites? Or should I say, the _RIP _Suites?!"

"RIP?!" Luigi's eyes fluttered.

"Oh, did I say 'VIP' in the first place? Although it's true, that's my mistake. This floor is indeed called the RIP Suites, fitting for a certain reason," Hellen innocently put a finger on her lips.

"Now then, I'll say that it's been ages since I've seen your pretty yet petrified face, Luigi! That old coot had me locked up tight in his lab, especially after he ignorantly sold my first portrait in a garage sale." King Boo paused to guffaw. "But guess what? I GOT OUT! AGAIN! The hotel owner here was just dying to meet me, so she busted me out. Pretty lucky, huh?"

"Son of a..." Luigi stopped himself from saying an expletive.

"Anyway, if I must be frank, I didn't think you'd actually show up here in this 'lovely' hotel. I was ready though, just in case. In fact, my vengeance is nearly complete!"

"V-Vengeance? W-What do you mean by that?" Hellen smirked at Luigi's bewilderment.

"Hahaha! I'm glad you asked that question!"

Normally, King Boo kept a straight face with a sinister, open mouth smile. But when he leaned in, it turned into a menacing frown. The altered glare was something new to Luigi, and it freaked the living daylights out of him. The ghost king eventually went back to his creepy smile.

"My vengeance is all about trapping you and everyone else in your little vacation party... in frames! Mario knows all about that luxury, and those silly Toads have a little experience with that. But a few others will know what it's like to be framed!"

"Others?" Luigi had a gut feeling that Peach was one of them based on context clues. But the thought of having more than one new person being trapped made him question... Who else has fallen to King Boo's devastating scheme?

"Aww, what's the matter, Luigi? Scared? There, there, it'll all be over soon. It's time for a family reunion! BOO-YA!"

King Boo gestured to his left with Hellen enthusiastically showing off the display near them. To Luigi's shock, he saw five separate portraits with his friends trapped within. The three Toads, Princess Peach, and Mario were all captured. Although Polterpup wasn't kidnapped, he was still missing, leaving Luigi isolated and hopeless.

"Oh, no... NO!" he cried out as the paintings disappeared.

"Mwah ha ha! Take that, plumber boy!" King Boo got up in his face. "Oh, I almost forgot. There's one more frame, of course. I saved it especially for you! Stay right there and put on your best terrified face, Luigi! This is game over!"

King Boo's crown illuminated as he conjured up an empty portrait. Luigi knew by instinct that there was no other option but to escape. Taking the elevator wasn't optimal as King Boo and Hellen stood in his way. The plumber hurried over to the nearby corridor and started running.

"N-N-NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"Don't even think about it, you cowardly buffoon! I won't stop until you become my next masterpiece!"

He wasn't able to hide inside the bedrooms as King Boo summoned several Spirit Balls and made the doors vanish. King Boo slapped the maid cart with his tongue. Paper towels, spray bottles, and cleaning utensils scattered onto the floor. Luigi clumsily skidded over the carpet, but he didn't trip or run into anything. Then, the king destroyed the china and silverware of the dining trolley. He was even careless with Peach's belongings as most of the baggage was instantly obliterated with the slap of his tongue.

Luigi was back at the dead end with the laundry chute door. There was nowhere else to run.

"Oh no! What do I do now?!"

He turned around and saw the ghost inch closer with the spinning picture frame. Luigi hyperventilated as he glanced back at the hatch. With desperation taking over his mind, the plumber took two deep breaths, opened the door, tucked his flashlight away, and squeezed through the vent. His body plummeted several stories as the slight opening of the chute got further and further away. **_(2)_**

Like every other perilous situation, he couldn't help but call out the one name that mattered to him.

"MARIOOOOO!"

King Boo's smile faded when he failed to capture his nemesis. Hellen Gravely went over to him, doing her best to console him.

"Your Majesty, I understand your frustration that you weren't able to capture him. But rest assured! I, Hellen Gravely, owner of The Last Resort, will find a way to lure him into your painting for all eternity!"

"You want to take the responsibility of capturing Luigi? Are you sure you can handle such a major task?" King Boo was skeptical.

"Trust me, my King! I have plenty of resources and employees who can easily overcome his constant anxiety. I'll do anything in my power to satisfy your desires. I will go beyond the edge of the Mushroom Kingdom if I have to! No matter what, Luigi will be stuck in that painting for good."

"Hmm..." King Boo contemplated. "Alright then. I will leave you in charge. After all, you did say you're my biggest fan, and you want to learn from the best!"

"Indeed, Your Ghostliness!" Hellen clasped her hands in delight.

"Excellent. I'm counting on you, Hellen. Bring me Luigi... or else..."

His facial expression drastically changed into a death stare that even the hotel owner was caught off guard. Nevertheless, Hellen was already on board. With a snap of her fingers, the exterior of The Last Resort magically went from a golden hotel to a metamorphosed skyscraper in the middle of a spooky, abandoned villa.

Luigi's dream vacation has taken a turn for the worse. The second he fell into the chute, he knew he was in serious trouble.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_This is not good at all... King Boo has returned! Mario, Peach, and the Toads have been kidnapped! Their vacation has been ruined! The last of these is the least of Luigi's problems though._

_Next time on Hotel Horror, Luigi will recover from his fall and work his way through the basement of The Last Resort. He'll come across a very special invention to help him in his quest... Until then, please review to let me know what you think of this chapter, follow/favorite the story for updates, and I'll see you guys later in Ch. 3! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

**_Post-Chapter Notes:_**

**_(1):_** _After casually exploring the RIP Suites, I think I figured out which Toad stayed in what room based on the colored luggage. I deduced that Blue Toad stayed in Room 504 because I found some blue bags. There were two yellow suitcases in 505 (one in the bedroom and one in the bathtub), so I believe Yellow Toad lived there. Finally, I saw a red suitcase near the window in 506, which is why I labeled that as Red Toad's suite. (I could be very wrong about this.)_

**_(2):_**_ It's actually possible to get an early Game Over (a.k.a. Good Night!) if King Boo manages to catch Luigi in the chase scene. I figured that this moment would be true after seeing the end of the E3 trailer. I'm just surprised Nintendo and Next Level took a dark turn to allow a Game Over that early in the campaign._


	4. Ch 3: Poltergust G-00

_A/N:__ Although I'm writing this story alone, there are some special shoutouts I need to address. With XIII Hearts proposing the idea of bringing back Portrait Ghosts, I also want to thank LightDusk16 and TAWOGfan2000 for coming up with ways on how to utilize them for not just boss fights, but also for regular encounters in the hotel. With their brainstorming, these ideas are better than what I had initially planned. I want to give them some recognition for messaging and helping me with the upcoming plot. We'll see how it'll turn out!_

_I also appreciate animegamefanatic, IanAlphaAxel, Murasaki Dokugi, Tiger of Darkness, Oderus, Infinite's Ruby, Alex Wells, and Guest for their reviews! (To answer Alex's question, yes, I was busy with work and life outside of Fanfiction.) As for Sneakybutterman, NMochi, Fierystoryteller, Draco Mercer, LovelyTeng2002, Kitkatkatester, nemikconi new sora, NineTails223, MarioLover3752, and EXRB, thanks for the favorites and follows!_

_As for accomplishments, I'm both baffled yet thankful. This fanfic has already surpassed Distance's follower count. Not only that, there was a period where it's gotten 100+ views in **eleven** consecutive days which has never happened for any of my fanfics until now. And because of this, Hotel Horror is already over **3,000 hits**! That's freaking insane! You guys are the best!_

_Lastly, I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving and safe holiday! Don't mind me, I'm **not** going Black Friday shopping. But at this day and age, it's practically Black Thanksgiving, and we're already listening to Christmas music... Anyway, back to the story!_

* * *

_Disclaimer__: I do not own the rights to Nintendo or the Luigi's Mansion series. Do not continue reading unless you don't mind spoilers._

* * *

**Chapter 3:** Poltergust G-00

_Location: ?_

"H-Hello? Is anyone here?"

Luigi found himself searching aimlessly in a vast sea of darkness. There was no sign of light or a pathway that helped him figure out his location. Not even his flashlight allowed him to see clearly. He was all alone; alone and scared.

"M-M-Mario? Where are you?"

All he wanted was his brother to be with him. He was always the first person he counted on. He had never felt safer than the moments where Mario was by his side. More importantly, they were family. The man couldn't imagine a world or life without him.

However, it has occurred on two separate, yet similar, occasions. Thankfully, Luigi was able to save Mario from those predicaments.

But it was unfortunate to take place a third time.

Then, out of nowhere, the unnerving memories appeared in front of him. Luigi saw a mirage of the creepy mansion in Boo Woods. This was where it all began. He received a fake letter telling him that he won this extravagant property for himself. It only led to a creepy adventure where he had to capture ghosts and rescue his brother from a painting. The villain behind it was none other than a deceiving ghost king. Luigi recalled how he got sucked into the frame, leading to a fight against King Boo inside a Bowser suit.

Shuddering from how that journey ended, the scenery dissipated, bringing Luigi back into the darkness. It didn't last long as a new image floated in front of him.

Gasping at the sight, the man in green saw Mario in a different portrait, one where he was unable to move or pound against the frame. He even looked _desperate_ for help.

"M-Mario..."

He reached out to grab the painting, but it vanished in plain sight. Mario was replaced by the Dark Moon from Evershade Valley, fragmented into six shards. Luigi didn't know why they were floating there in the first place. Soon, the pieces began to spin around slowly. Seconds later, they rotated faster until they combined into one. However, instead of forming the Dark Moon, a purple light flashed his eyes, blinding the plumber as he tried to block the brightness with his hands. It took a while for him to recover, but Luigi cautiously opened his eyes.

They widened in fright.

The purple light was from the jeweled crown on top of King Boo's head. With his glimmering pupils, the ghost king was glaring down at the shaken man. Luigi was stuttering, unable to speak properly as he was too terrified.

"You still haven't changed a bit since you were an infant. I don't care that you saved your brother in the first two instances. All that matters is that you're going to fail him this time. He's probably thinking to himself, 'This is all your fault for accepting that fake invitation. You're stupid to accept such a thing not just once, but twice! You failed me, Luigi... You failed!' And that's the cold, hard truth," King Boo sneered.

"N-No..." Luigi whimpered. "I'm going to s-save him... like b-before... I'd rather die than to have my big bro trapped for all eternity!"

"Is that so? Well, why didn't you say so? I'll gladly fulfill your wish..."

Luigi couldn't imagine what King Boo was referring to, but to the king's right, Hellen Gravely floated beside him. She was carrying a sharp scythe in her hands.

"I must say, I'm not the kind of person who's good at wielding these kinds of weapons," she stroked the metal blade. "But since a certain someone was generous to donate this to me, I've taken the honor to... steal your soul."

Hellen raised the scythe in the air and swung it towards him. All Luigi could do was shriek with fear as his eyes rolled back. **_(1)_**

* * *

_Location: B1 – Basement_

Luigi flinched when he felt something touch his nose. It wasn't a scythe, but it was something wet. It kept going for a few seconds until he heard a ghost whimpering. When Luigi opened his eyes, he found himself in a large bin with a bunch of towels that cushioned his fall. The man was caught off guard that Colombo was licking his face.

"Huh? Oh! Hey!" he began to laugh. "Aw, there you are, boy! I was wondering where you were!"

The Polterpup barked twice, happy to see his owner was awake and, more importantly, alive. However, his smile went away as he tilted his head, softly whining.

"Don't worry, Colombo. I'm alright. Well, not exactly," Luigi sighed. "I had a nightmare. It wasn't real, but it's eerily relevant to what has happened. I can't believe that this was a scam. I should've known! First King Boo, now this Hellen Gravely woman... She got the idea from him! She sent that invitation so King Boo can kidnap Mario again! Even worse, Peach is now involved. As if she needed to be captured for the umpteenth time! And the Toads, they don't deserve this either."

Colombo gave his owner another lick on the face, trying to cheer him up. Luigi appreciated the thought, but he couldn't help but think that this was his fault. After all, he was the one who accepted the invite. He was the one who asked Mario and Peach to join him. With guilt coursing through his blood, Luigi knew he had to make things right. If he rescued Mario from King Boo twice already, he can do it thrice.

The question is, how?

He used Professor E. Gadd's vacuums to suck up King Boo. But Luigi was unequipped aside from his flashlight. Speaking of which, he managed to get out of the bin, feeling very disoriented. Keep in mind, Luigi involuntarily fell several stories down the chute. It was better than getting trapped and having King Boo take over the Mushroom Kingdom.

Trying to stay stable on his two feet, Luigi looked around to find himself in the hotel laundromat. A stray light fixture illuminated the room. There were a couple of washing machines, cleaning supplies, and towels everywhere. Colombo ran ahead to the other side as Luigi brought out his flashlight. He was lucky to have it on as the light bulb burned out.

"Ugh, I can't stress this enough. I _really_ hate the dark. AAH!"

Luigi panicked when the towels on the table suddenly fell down. He certainly didn't do that, which was why he freaked out. Heading over to the other part of the Laundry Room, the pipes above him blew out some steam.

"Gah! Just why?!"

He opened a cabinet full of dust, making him sneeze. Meanwhile, the dryers started to run on their own. The middle had a green, shiny gem inside. **_(2) _**Luigi was intrigued that the hotel contained gems, similar to the first mansion and the buildings in Evershade Valley. He pushed that thought aside, however, as he was about to reach the door. Colombo stopped him when he popped out from a pile of towels. Luigi shrieked and fell to the floor.

"Mamma Mia! Colombo!" Luigi complained.

"Arf! Arf!" was all the Polterpup had to say before vanishing through the adjacent wall.

Luigi got up and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "I have to remind myself; I adopted him, and he's my pet. I still have to get used to him scaring me very often. Either I made a stupid decision or I'm that easy to frighten."

Sadly, it was the latter.

The green-clad man sluggishly made his way to the door, entering the Service Hallway. He caught a glimpse of Colombo's tail sticking out from a trash can. The Polterpup was digging through the garbage and popped out with two doughnuts over his eyes.

"Colombo, how many times have I told you not to dig through trash?" Luigi chastised.

"Arf!" he replied without a care in the world.

Rolling his eyes, Luigi followed his pet into a parking garage. The place was damp and dark, but a few light fixtures lit up the dim room. Some suitcases, a luggage cart, heaps of trash, and traffic cones were scattered over the floor. To his right were two parked cars. Colombo barked and guided him over to a red, vintage vehicle with a wagon cart attached to the back. Luigi jumped when the hood began to shake. Curious, he ambled over to inspect.

"Ruff!"

"Wah!" Luigi fell backward as Colombo surprised him. "Seriously, that's probably the third time you scared me on this day alone! I swear, I'm going to get a heart attack or something..." he muttered.

Colombo went over and nudged his head against Luigi's back. He then pointed at the hood with his tail, urging him to look inside.

"Okay, okay! I'm getting up!" The man lifted the cover and was surprised to see the contents inside. Instead of a motor or any sort of engine, it was something he instantly recognized. "Oh-hohoho! No way! I remember this vacuum! Professor E. Gadd gave it to me as a gift for the last Smash Bros. tournament! The Poltergust G-00!"

He knew it wasn't the 6000 since he used that from a different adventure. (But that's another story.) **_(3)_**

This version of the Poltergust was a bit bulkier since there was a glass container. It used to be filled with some green substance that E. Gadd didn't fully explain, but currently, the tank was empty. Like the previous models, the vacuum was versatile and surprisingly lightweight. He slipped his arms through the leather straps and attached his flashlight to the hose, allowing him to switch between that and the vacuum. Luigi was zealous that he celebrated with a little jig.

"It sure has been a while since I learned how to use this."

"Arf!"

"Do you want me to practice with you, boy?"

"Ruff! Ruff!"

"Okay! Let's do it!"

Luigi started by holding the red button near the nozzle. The flashlight was charging up until it released a huge flash to stun Colombo.

"Oh yeah! That was definitely the Strobulb!"

Then, Luigi pulled a metal handle and pressed the grip to suck air inside the hose. As he did that, he was pulling Colombo closer to the vacuum, just like how he captures ghosts. By pressing forward on the handle, he was able to push the ghost dog away by blowing air. Every time he was successful, Colombo barked happily at him.

"Awesome! Now I remember the basic controls."

"Arf!"

"Hmm? There's something else I can do?"

Luigi watched Colombo get up on his hind legs and made a downward motion with his front paws. He found another rubber grip below the hose and activated it. The result caused him to fling his feet off the ground, expelling a blast of air around him. Colombo jumped from the sudden burst. Even the car and wagon moved from the new ability.

"Wow! That's interesting. I don't remember learning about that! I bet I can put that to good use."

Colombo agreed and floated his way up to the ceiling. Now that Luigi was prepared, he decided to follow him upstairs. Making his way back to the Service Hallway, he headed further down until he reached the elevator lobby and a door barred by a strange mechanism. The design of the lock was very similar, and Luigi understood when he saw a blinking, green bulb. Charging the Strobulb, he flashed the bulb, disabling the lock and allowing him entry.

"Sweet! Now I can head for the door! Hmm... or should I check the elevator first?"

After a few seconds, he went over and pressed the button on the wall. Once the elevator arrived, Luigi headed inside and was about to...

"What the heck?! What happened to all of the elevator buttons?! There's only one and it leads to here! So much for that..." **_(4)_**

With limited options, Luigi returned to the door he unlocked. He made his way up the steps until he came across a metal trash can. Somehow, it was too heavy to move, so Luigi used a Burst to blast the can out of the way. Colombo was waiting at the top of the stairwell before he went into the next room. As he reached the door, Luigi took a deep breath and entered inside.

* * *

_Location: 1F – Grand Lobby_

The green plumber found himself back in the hotel lobby, recognizing that the door he went through was the one the hotel staff member blocked earlier. He saw the elevator to his right and the sitting area in front of him. He sluggishly crept to the center of the lobby, examining how the entire layout had drastically changed. There was hardly any light illuminating the area.

This wasn't your average everyday darkness. This was... _advanced_ darkness.

"M-M-Mario? Is anyone here? _Sigh_, no sign of... Huh?"

Luigi paused when he looked above the front desk. The four signs of his friends and himself were placed on rectangular frames, hung by chains. To make things eerie, each of their faces has been marked by a big, black 'X'.

"Well, Mario, Peach, and the Toads have been caught by King Boo. They must assume that I died going down the chute or something. But I'm still here, and I have to save them. There's no turning back from here." **_(5)_**

Suddenly, Luigi heard something near the entrance. He dropped his flashlight in shock.

"Uh-oh..."

He saw two blue ghosts known as Goobs with power drills. They were barricading the doors with chains, wooden planks, and metal boards. Luigi was aghast as his hands were placed on his cheeks.

"No... I can't even get out of here," he whispered.

Colombo, on the other hand, was scooting his butt across the floor. One of the ghosts noticed the Polterpup and chuckled.

"Heh heh, shoo!" The Polterpup wasn't scared, but he ran off, leaving Luigi alone with the ghosts. The Goob on the right threw his drill to his partner before leaving. The other carelessly tossed the power tools away and mindlessly floated around...

...until he got up in Luigi's face and spooked him.

"WAAAH!"

Luigi tried to regain his composure, but his fists nor his body couldn't stop shaking. At the same time, several paranormal gates blocked the stairs and the main lobby, denying his chance to escape. He quickly picked up the flashlight and tried to stun him. Unfortunately, the Goob grabbed Luigi with his arms and had him in a headlock.

"Get off of me!" he begged.

Colombo reappeared to pounce on the Goob, but the blue ghost managed to dodge him. Seeing that his owner was choking, he barked at him, making the same downward motion with his paws. Luigi barely noticed and performed the Burst move. The air pushed the Goob away and made him yelp. As the ghost was stirred, Luigi got his opportunity to flash the Strobulb at him. He successfully stunned him and pulled him into the hose.

"Grr! That'll teach you not to scare me!" the ghost hunter grunted.

After a successful catch, he heard the other Goob on the second floor. The blue spirit whistled, summoning backup. Two more ghosts floated from the mail cubby. To Luigi's surprise, he saw a Gold Ghost and a Greenie. **_(6)_**

"Huh? What are _they_ doing here?!"

The Goob floated down to join his reinforcements, and they tried to tackle the plumber. Colombo distracted the Greenie by jumping at him while Luigi focused on one enemy at a time. He went for the Goob first, striking him with the Strobulb. He pulled the handle back and sucked on the tail. As he was trying to trap him, Polterpup barked twice to get his attention. He caught the Greenie with his mouth and demonstrated a Slam move by smashing the green ghost onto the floor. The poor Greenie never saw it coming. Luigi took in the idea and copied Colombo's move. He slammed the Goob back and forth to reduce his health. Conveniently, he managed to knock out the Gold Ghost as well. Once he got both of them, Luigi stunned the dazed Greenie and trapped him with the others. The gates disappeared as a result.

"Phew," Luigi took off his hat. "That was a close one. Thanks, Colombo," he petted the Polterpup's head.

"Arf! Arf!"

Colombo soon directed him to the front desk, spotting a key hanging from a hook. Luigi followed him and opened the gate with a Burst.

"Hmm... This key must be useful for one of the doors. Do you have an idea what this can unlock?"

The Polterpup had a suspicion as he pointed up with his tail.

"You mean the big doors above us? That's a good guess. We didn't get a chance to go there when we first came here, so let's give it a try."

The two climbed the staircase leading to 2F – the Mezzanine. Luigi turned the handle and realized that the door was locked.

"Huh, you might be right, Colombo. The key should be used for this door!"

"Arf!"

Luigi inserted it into the slot and twisted it. The key vanished in plain sight, similar to how he unlocked the doors in Evershade's mansions. He took another deep breath and slowly entered inside. But when he and Colombo took several steps forward, they saw something terrifying and unexpected.

Across the other side of the Ballroom was a painting, and a familiar face was trapped inside.

Professor Elvin Gadd.

"Oh no!"

Luigi and Colombo panicked and ran over to the portrait. Although it now made sense why he saw the car and the Poltergust G-00 down in the Garage, Luigi couldn't believe that the professor was trapped. That led to the thought of how he got here in the first place.

"He's in a painting, too! This is horrible! We have to get him out of there! But to do that, we need the Dark-Light Device."

Said tool was used in his Dark Moon adventure to free the Toads and Mario from the paintings. If it worked before, he can do it again. All he had to do was find it. But he didn't have a clue.

Colombo barked and led him to the door on the left. Luigi decided to follow his tracks. As he got to the hallway, he went to the first door he saw. Unfortunately for him, it was locked. At the end of the hallway, Luigi tried reaching the east side of the Mezzanine, but it was blocked by a dining cart. There was only one other door he could enter, and it led to the Dressing Room.

Decorated in purple, the room featured several uniforms and a purple cloak held by clothes hangers on a pole. At the front were several tables with makeup, thorn plants, and... masks?

Luigi narrowed his eyes as he recognized them. "Hey, I've seen these before! They're the faces of the hotel staff members! So, they were in disguises the whole time, pretending to be employees and making it seem like they're working at this hotel!" He then frowned. "And if my intuition is correct, it was the ghosts who were incognito. Unbelievable."

Colombo saw another mirror on the right side of the Dressing Room. He saw a flashing bulb in the reflection and spotted it on the back wall.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

"Hmm? You found something?" Luigi saw the green light as well. "Oh, nice find!" He flashed it with the Strobulb, and the circuit opened up a secret compartment behind a picture frame. A key fell out from inside the wall. "Cool! This should unlock the room next to us!"

Colombo decided to cheat his way by transporting through the wall. Luigi had to go the normal way and exited the Dressing Room. But before he could head over, he saw a Goob and a Greenie plastering 'Wanted' posters with Luigi's face on them. The plumber got spooked when the Greenie recognized him and threw the flyers all over the hallway. As the ghosts tried to attack him, Luigi got them first by flashing them. Even better, he caught both of their ghostly tails at the same time. He repeated the Slam move until they were stuck inside the vacuum.

"Another close call," he mumbled.

He soon saw Colombo bark at him, his head sticking out from the locked door. For some reason, the Polterpup looked distressed.

"What's wrong, boy?"

A soft whine came out before Colombo went back into the room. Luigi furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered what the problem was. Luigi took out the new key and unlocked the door. Inside was the Storage Room with leftover portraits, furniture, boxes, and miscellaneous items. However, Luigi was met with a new horror. It was the reason why Colombo looked worried earlier.

He saw another painting leaning against the back wall. And he found another one of his friends trapped within.

It was...

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_'A cliffhanger?! What the heck are you doing, TGN?!'_

_I'm making you suffer on the inside kind of like how the ghosts torture Luigi. Okay, maybe that's not an accurate analogy, but you know what? I don't care because I'm a cruel person!_

_We'll have to see where the adventure will lead to next time. As for the poll, I've already closed it as of this chapter. E. Gadd and Polterpup will remain in the character tags, but the other winner was Gooigi! The first two received seven votes each, and Gooigi got in with five. King Boo and Hellen finished with three and two, respectively. Thanks to those who voted!_

_Next time on Hotel Horror, Luigi will rescue some familiar faces from the paintings. Aside from E. Gadd, who else has been captured? And what new surprises will our green ghost hunter encounter? Thanks again for the support and feedback! Be sure to review and favorite/follow the story if you haven't already! I'll see you all in Ch. 4! This is TGN, signing off._

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**_Post-Chapter Notes:_**

**_(1):_**_ It's a cheesy nightmare, but I couldn't help but reference the Simon reveal trailer for Smash Ultimate. Just seeing Luigi die will never leave my mind._

**_(2):_**_ For everyone's sake, I'm only going to mention some of the Gem locations, but not all of them. That would be tedious and extraneous._

**_(3):_**_ I made up a 6000 version of the Poltergust in my first story, Hidden Bravery, which is essentially a rehash of the 5000. The only reason Luigi recognized the G-00 here was that he utilized it in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. (It was also teased in said trailer mentioned in PCN #1.)_

**_(4):_**_ Another prediction I got incorrect in ANCT was the elevator buttons. I wrote that the '**5**' button was the only one on the panel; instead, it was '**B1**'._

**_(5):_**_ Gee, I wonder where I got that from. Also, everything from that oneshot was not chronologically written, and I don't feel like explaining all the errors. It's basically a mess, but whatever..._

**_(6):_**_ Gold Ghosts and Greenies are the first generic ghosts shown in the first two Luigi's Mansion games, respectively. _


	5. Ch 4: Ghostly Conundrum

_A/N:__ It's been about a month since I published Hotel Horror, and I appreciate the support thus far. To XIII Hearts, Thankfulclock50, Neo Roybot8, LadyLancer25, Abigaelnunes, GreenTeaZee, Fields Of Cypress, christian010, and Romeo Jaramillo, thanks for favoriting and following the story. Alongside XIII, shoutouts go to FireFlamerx9z, LightDusk16, dbot, TAWOGfan2000, Bayoboo, Draco Mercer, animegamefanatic, Oderus, Infinite's Ruby, Guest, MarioFan88, and Ultimatejoseph135 for reviewing since the previous update._

_We're over **40 favorites, followers, and reviews **as well as **4,800+ hits**! You guys are awesome, and I hope everyone had a nice holiday as we're into December! _

_Lastly, there's a special note down at the bottom before the Post-Chapter Notes. Now onto the next chapter!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Please refrain from reading if you want to avoid spoilers. I don't own Luigi, Mario, or the other characters._

* * *

**Chapter 4:** Ghostly Conundrum

_Location: 2F – Mezzanine_

Luigi inserted the key he got from the Dressing Room and made his way into the hotel's storage area. Colombo was desperately waiting inside because he seemed to have found something dreadful. Indeed, the ghost dog discovered a shocking revelation. When Luigi spotted a picture frame against the wall, his eyes bulged.

He was frozen like the prisoner within the frame.

The poor soul was holding out their right hand for help. He felt like his heart broke into two pieces. Luigi ran up to the painting, completely devastated at the sight. His mouth couldn't stop stuttering.

"D-Daisy..." **_(1)_**

From there, the Sarasaland princess sported a staggering expression. Part of her royal dress was ruined. One of the puffy sleeves had a hole, and several tears were found at the hem. Either she looked like she was trying to put up a fight or someone tried to attack her. Since Luigi knew how tomboyish Daisy can be, he had a feeling it was both. She probably fought King Boo, but the latter ended up winning.

Luigi pressed his hand against the portrait. He knew how terrifying it was to see Mario trapped like this. Seeing Peach, the Toads, Professor E. Gadd was just as horrible.

But this... This was too much. He was on the verge of breaking down.

Colombo was sitting behind him, feeling sorry for his owner. However, he barked at him. He pointed at a safe in the wall with a blinking light. Luigi wiped his eyes with his sleeve and regained his composure.

"I guess it's worth opening. Might as well see what's inside."

After flashing the Strobulb, the safe was unlocked. It revealed a few magazines and a familiar tool.

"The Dark-Light Device!"

Luigi swapped out his regular flashlight and attached the new bulb to the Poltergust. By holding down the red button, a rainbow spectrum emitted from the device. Unlike the previous model from the 5000, it didn't burn out after a few seconds and can be used indefinitely. As the light hovered towards the frame, the picture reacted with a purple glow.

"Alright. Let's get Daisy out of there."

Luigi aimed the Dark-Light to release the princess. When Daisy got out, she gasped before falling forward. Luigi hurried over and caught her.

"Oh my god! Where's that conniving ghost?! I'm gonna teach him a lesson not to mess with me!" Daisy was so exasperated that she didn't realize Luigi was carrying her.

"Um, Daisy?"

She looked over at her rescuer. "Luigi!" she threw her arms around his neck. The plumber nearly fell backward. "Is that really you?"

"Yeah, it's me," he replied with a blush.

"What a surprise! I didn't expect you to be here out of all places!"

"I could say the same to you. How did you get here?" he asked before setting her down.

Daisy brushed off some of the dust on her dress. She huffed before explaining her long story.

"Well, I was supposed to have a royal meeting taking place in my kingdom. But yesterday, I received an anonymous letter that there was a last-second change for the location. It said that the meeting would be held at a hotel called The Last Resort. To say the least, I was a bit frustrated that they decided to alert me on such short notice. But to make up for it, the letter said I would get a week's vacation at no charge! I couldn't get mad at that! So I packed my bags and flew here. The weird thing about the letter is that they said I have to come alone."

"Wait," Luigi interrupted as he fathomed everything. "You mean you didn't have anyone escort you? Not a single staff member or retainer?"

"Yeah, I was convinced by the free vacation that it didn't register in my mind how suspicious that was. It wasn't until the moment I arrived that I realized it was a trap, and I got stuck in that painting by King Boo! It's all because of that bogus letter, and I don't know who sent it in the first place!"

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Daisy."

"Yeah... but at least you were here to save me, Luigi! I really appreciate it!"

"Of course. Anything to help you."

The princess soon gave the plumber a kiss on the nose. His cheeks flushed in red, making her smirk. "Now that I answered your question, can you explain why you're here?"

"Oh, right. Yesterday, I also received a letter; it was from this Hellen Gravely person. I was invited to an all-expenses-paid trip to this hotel and allowed me to bring some friends. I told Mario and Peach about this after we rebuilt the castle, and they agreed to join me and Colombo. I wanted to invite you too, but I knew you had bigger priorities to handle. I just didn't think it would lead you into this mess."

"Aw, you were thinking about inviting me?"

"Absolutely. I always wanted to spend a vacation with you. We never had a chance to do so."

"That's true. Sometimes, being a princess is never a good thing. I have to be busy with all this royalty stuff that I hardly get a chance to live life like a normal person. At least you have that luxury."

"I wouldn't say that," Luigi looked away, scratching the back of his head.

"Anyway, you mentioned someone named Hellen Gravely, right? Isn't that the purple woman with the big, blue hairdo?"

"That's her," Luigi nodded.

Daisy snapped her fingers. "I bet _she_ was the one who sent me that letter! I'm angry that I got duped! My kingdom is probably wondering where the heck I am at this point!"

"It's not your fault, Daisy. Besides, you're not the only one who got deceived," his fists clenched.

"Oh, yeah. Please continue. What happened afterward?"

"So, I accepted the invitation, and all of us got to the hotel. It looked really beautiful at first glance. Then, I fell asleep in my room for several hours. After I woke up, everything changed. It's like I was in another haunted mansion or something. I tried looking for Mario and the others, but no one was around. That's when Hellen came to visit our floor, and she introduced me to..." Luigi paused as he took in a gulp.

Daisy could tell where this was going. She saw how shaken up he was.

"She was responsible for inviting me because she was inspired by King Boo. He appeared next to her, saying he was back for revenge. He captured Mario, Peach, and the Toads in frames. King Boo tried to get me next, but I escaped down a laundry chute. I landed in the basement, and I was unconscious for who knows how long until Colombo woke me up."

Walking up next to him, the Polterpup nodded once to confirm his story. He let out a soft whine as well.

"Now I feel bad for you," she frowned.

"Since then, I found the Poltergust G-00 down in the parking garage. When we got up, we ran into a few ghosts."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but that's not the worst part. We just saw Professor E. Gadd trapped in a painting, too!"

"What?! Are you kidding me?"

Luigi shook his head. "I'm not."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go free him! Where'd you find him?"

"Over here," Luigi led her as she and Colombo followed. They made their way to the Ballroom, and Daisy noticed the portrait on the wall. She was shocked as well. Luigi went over and turned on the Dark-Light Device. E. Gadd slowly came out before falling down to the floor next to Colombo. The Polterpup sniffed him and let out an eager bark. Luigi and Daisy came closer to the shaken scientist who was having trouble standing up.

"Professor? Are you okay?" the plumber asked.

E. Gadd moved his glasses before taking in his surroundings. He was delighted once he saw the man in green.

"Ah! What a surprise! If it isn't Luigi! You are precisely the last person I'd expect to find here."

"The last person?" Daisy questioned.

"Oh, yet another surprise! Princess Daisy! I didn't expect you to be in this place either."

"Professor, allow us to explain."

"Hold that thought, youngster," E. Gadd interrupted Luigi, "now isn't the time to catch up. What matters is that you'll do nicely! Luigi, Daisy, you have to get me out of here this instant! This hotel is not your ordinary place to sit back or enjoy unlimited room service. The building is filled to the brim with ghosts! We need to make a run before things get quite hectic."

"No, Professor," denied Luigi. "As much as I'm frightened already, I can't leave this place right away. Not when Mario and my friends have been kidnapped!"

"You don't say? They've been captured as well?"

"That's the story Luigi told me," said Daisy.

"_Sigh_, I see you're the same as ever, sonny. A bit of a handful, yes, but unselfish indeed. You can't just abandon your friends like this. I can tell you want nothing else but for them to be free." E. Gadd took a moment to straighten out his lab coat. "Well, since I know you too well, I will assist you yet again, Luigi. I'm not too thrilled given the current circumstances, but I, Professor Elvin Gadd, have an idea! First things first, I need to get to my car down in the garage. Can you lead me there, Luigi?"

"I can do it. It's down in the basement."

"Ah, and I see you're wearing the Poltergust G-00 on your back. You've taken it out of my car, I presume? That must have been a good thing since you said you encountered some ghosts earlier. And this is just coming from me, but my intuition tells me that you're gonna have to use that vacuum to good use very soon."

"I really hope a ghost doesn't give me another jump scare," Luigi shuddered.

"Don't worry, Luigi," Daisy reassured. "We'll be right behind you. And Colombo can be extra protection since he's walking ahead of us."

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo called from the large double doors.

"Okay, let's head to the garage."

Upon exiting the Ballroom, Luigi followed his Polterpup to the elevator on the east wing of the Mezzanine. Daisy hurried behind them, making sure she didn't trip over her dress. Meanwhile, E. Gadd trotted awkwardly as he tried to catch up to the others. As they reached the elevator, Luigi blew a trash can and some debris away that was blocking the entry. Somehow, gold coins and bars spewed out.

"Look at that, Luigi... It's money, and lots of it! Even with all the dangers here, I'm sure we agree that money is important! It's what makes the world go round after all!"

Daisy put her hands on her hips. "Meanwhile, I'm trying to figure out who's the idiot who would dump this in the trash. Are they that stupid?"

Luigi didn't bother to answer as he sucked the gold with the vacuum and pushed the button. Everyone went inside the lift, but the professor was shocked to see a strange abnormality.

"Criminy! Someone has removed all of the other elevator buttons!"

"Yeah, I noticed that when I tried using it down in the Basement. Without them, I can't get to any other level."

"Quite a dilemma, I must say. Well, I would go ahead and give that '**B1**' button a push."

As Luigi did what he was told, Daisy counted the circles on the panel.

"Hmm... that '**B1**' button is placed on the very bottom right. I counted fifteen empty slots above it. And apparently, there's another floor below. So this hotel has fifteen main floors, including the Grand Lobby and the Mezzanine, plus two more below the ground floor. That's seventeen in total for this freaky hotel."

"Not only that, it didn't seem like any of your friends were trapped on 2F with me," E. Gadd paced.

"Well, I wasn't able to access the other side of the Mezzanine," Luigi mentioned.

"More than likely, they must have been taken to one of the floors higher up in the hotel. If that's the case, we're going to need those buttons to proceed upward."

"I can already tell this is going to be awful," the green plumber rested a hand on his forehead. He could only pray that Mario and the others were safe.

* * *

_Location: B1 – Basement_

Once the elevator reached its destination, Luigi went out first to guide the party to the Garage. Halfway there, a painting randomly fell to the ground and made Luigi jump. E. Gadd pointed and laughed at him.

"Professor! That wasn't funny!"

"Oh, don't get your overalls in a bunch! It just reminds me of the good old days!"

"Capturing ghosts and trying to free my brother in a painting – _twice_, might I add – doesn't define the 'good old days' to me!"

"Guys, enough with the arguing," Daisy told them. "Are we getting closer to the Garage?"

"Yeah, it's through this door."

Unbeknownst to the group, there was an individual inside. He was busy moving several bags around.

"Ugh, fooling those imbeciles was tiring enough. But it's even worse since I had to wear that mask. I feel like I was going to suffocate from breathing through that atrocity!" the Steward muttered. "Well, I've already kept my end of the bargain. I agreed to help Hellen make this hotel look inviting, I introduced the party to her, and all the pieces fell into place. Those silly Mushroom Kingdom folks didn't see what hit them, and now they're all stuck in paintings."

Little did the ghost know that one person managed to escape, and he was entering the Garage from behind.

"Oh, shoot," Luigi nearly choked on his saliva. Colombo, Daisy, and E. Gadd stood behind him.

"Also, they're extremely oblivious to realize that we were in costumes! Ha! It's so funny I could laugh again! In fact, I will. HA!"

The princess growled at the Steward's words. "If he wasn't transparent, I would deck this ghost in the face."

"Daisy, not now..." Luigi whispered.

"Ugh! Man, these bags are heavy," the Steward rubbed his forehead after carrying an orange suitcase. "As much as I love manning the front desk, carrying luggage is my least favorite task. That pink princess had so many! And the orange one brought just as much as her! What did they both pack, rocks and a hundred pounds of makeup?!"

"Alright, that's it!" she was about to charge at him.

"Daisy, no!" Luigi kept his voice low.

"Whew, that's taken care of," the ghost dusted his hands. "Now let me get this cart-"

"HEY!"

The Steward became startled at her voice.

"For your information, I packed the essentials of a vacation – clothes, swimming suit, sunscreen, makeup, you name it! Not only that, I truly thought you were an actual bellhop! You think you and that Hellen freak are so slick, leading me to King Boo so he could capture me! But I see the evidence that this was nothing but a setup!" Daisy referred to the cloak and mask on the luggage cart beside him.

"Uh... Uh..." Desperately, he pushed it away, causing it to crash into a column. He began whistling innocently. "I beg your pardon? What do you mean by a setup? I'm just making sure your bags are still nice and organized, heh heh..."

"Man, I would so take you down if you weren't a ghost. That's why Luigi is here!"

"Daisy!"

The Steward just noticed Luigi standing there. E. Gadd, however, used him as a shield before running over to his car.

"Thanks for sticking up for me, guys," groaned Luigi.

"Why, if it isn't the VIP of the bunch! It's wonderful to see you again!" the Steward chuckled once more.

"This is a complete joke! I also can't believe I didn't see through your disguise!"

"Now you figured it out! Pretty slow for a man like you. Even a toddler could figure out that I was wearing a foolish mask!"

"Hey, back off! Luigi's smarter than you think, and he's well-equipped, too!" Daisy defended.

"Since you managed to evade Hellen and King Boo's trap, I better take you up to them so I could be praised. I didn't simply become a bellhop for the joy of it. I just wanted to help out my big sister!" **_(2)_**

"Sister?"

"Yeah, we may not look alike, but she treats me like family – because that's what we are! It's too bad you had to be separated from your own. That red plumber thinks he can do everything because he's the hero! Meanwhile, you isolate yourself or hide in a corner because that's what you do best."

A flame lit inside him. He always counted on Mario to help out or save the day no matter what. He didn't care if he was stuck in his shadow or if he stayed behind on most adventures. Mario meant everything to him. Losing his older sibling would be the worst thing ever.

"I'm not s-scared of you!" Luigi gripped the hose.

"Are you sure about that?" The Steward lifted the orange suitcase from before and threw it at Luigi.

"Wah!" he ran away.

"Hey, that's one of my bags, creepo! You're just as careless as those delivery drivers that chuck fragile packages at people's doorsteps!" Daisy grunted.

"Come on, Luigi! We want you to enjoy your stay here... permanently!"

The paranormal gates blocked the door and the right side of the Garage. As the Steward carried another suitcase, he waited to hurl it at the quivering plumber.

"You got this, Luigi!" Daisy cheered him on.

Luigi activated the Strobulb at the ghost, but the suitcase blocked his face. After the Steward threw the luggage at him, he was vulnerable. Luigi took advantage of the open opportunity. One flash to the face and the ghost hunter was able to grasp him with the Poltergust. Remembering how Colombo taught him the Slam, he waited for a few seconds before whacking the ghost back and forth on the floor. Luggage flew in different directions, one nearly hitting Daisy. Thankfully, the princess ducked. She and Colombo watched him fight, giving him encouragement.

"You're doing great, Luigi! Show him you're the best ghost catcher in town!"

"Ruff!"

"Don't worry, sonny! I'm supporting you from over here!" E. Gadd yelled from the other side of the gates.

Luigi wasn't able to whack him forever as the Steward escaped after four slams. The boss disappeared for a few seconds before a suitcase hovered in midair.

"Take this!"

"D'oh!" Luigi dove away to the side. When he recovered, he was a second too late to stun him. The Steward grabbed another suitcase and flung it at Luigi. This time, Luigi got his chance.

"Oh no!" the Steward panicked.

Luigi got a full meter of power as he slammed the Steward again. He managed to get five in a row, but he still didn't capture him. However, he could tell the ghost was getting fatigued.

"I'm not... going to... give up," the receptionist wheezed. "Hellen will kill me... if she finds you... alive."

"The joke's on you. You can't be killed if you're already a ghost," taunted Daisy.

"Oh, hilarious," he replied before sneering. "Tell me if you think _this_ is funny!"

The Steward lunged at the princess and grabbed her around the waist. She gasped and struggled to get out.

"Daisy!"

"Luigi! Help!"

Colombo was mad for the first time and tried tugging on the Steward's costume. He waved his tail to sway the dog off of him. Luigi narrowed his eyes and chased after him as well. The duo went in different directions as they tried to corner him. Colombo started barking to create a diversion. He even tried to jump at him. The Steward was unfazed by his incessant woofs, but he didn't see the plumber sneaking up behind him. Luigi performed a Burst to surprise the boss. Daisy was thrown upward from the jump scare, but Colombo was able to catch her, gently setting her down.

"Good boy," she petted him.

Luigi flashed the Strobulb once more and sucked the Steward's tail in the hose. By then, the blue ghost was helpless. The strength of the Poltergust was too much as his entire body was trapped inside. His hat fell off his head, but he managed to pull it in before accepting his fate. In return, two shining objects ejected out of the hose. All the lights came on and the gates disappeared, too. Luigi was more concerned about Daisy though.

"Are you alright?" he ran up to her.

"I am, thanks to you. You were great in that battle, Luigi! I knew you could do it!"

"Aw, it's nothing really," he blushed.

"Excellent work, my boy! You never fail to amaze me!" E. Gadd clapped his hands. Polterpup agreed with a loud yap.

"Thanks, Professor." He then went over to pick up the glowing items.

"Ho ho! From what I see, those are definitely elevator buttons!" E. Gadd exclaimed. "I never would've guessed a ghost had taken them!"

They all examined the buttons; one was marked with a '**5**', and the other had a '**1**' on it.

"But... there's only two here," Daisy pointed out. "What about the rest?"

"Hmm... Maybe there are other ghosts out there that are keeping them?" E. Gadd predicted.

"Like I said, I knew this was going to be awful," Luigi sighed.

"Don't let your chin down, Luigi. We'll find a way to get the other buttons and find your friends in no time! As for now, let's go to my car. I've got something very interesting that I want to show you all. I was checking on it while you were facing the Steward, and it's still there. Come on!"

Luigi and Daisy glanced at each other before shrugging. The former stuffed the buttons in his pocket, and they followed the professor to his vintage vehicle. Colombo was already there, waiting in the driver's seat. They watched the professor take out something from the trunk. He held a gray, metallic hemisphere with a red border.

"Ooh, shiny," Luigi leaned forward to touch it.

"Ah ah ah!" E. Gadd stopped. "Don't touch it!" he made Luigi lean back. "Just wait for a moment."

"What is he doing?" Daisy questioned.

"You think I would know? He literally told me not to touch that thing!"

They went over to an empty parking space where the professor stood.

"Stand back, fellers! Behold one of my latest inventions!"

E. Gadd placed the hemisphere on the ground and pressed a button on top. He went over to the group as they waited for a few seconds. Nothing happened.

"Uh, Professor, what exactly is this supposed to be?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"It takes patience, Princess. Just you wait!"

Then, the lines began to glow in a lime-green color, causing the gizmo to shake violently. Luigi leaned forward a little, but the professor held a hand over his torso, pushing him back. Although Luigi was confused, he, Colombo, and Daisy recoiled when a green light flashed in front of them. E. Gadd was the only one who was excited as they watched the gadget enlarge into a dome-like structure. From there, a brand-new, technological lab stood in the Garage. A large antenna popped out from the top despite making a hole in the ceiling.

Colombo and Daisy were impressed. Luigi, on the other hand, was flabbergasted. Case in point, his mouth was wide open. Colombo couldn't help but admire his face.

"Now then, shall we head inside?" E. Gadd entered through the automatic door.

"Dang, that's one heck of a surprise. I sure didn't expect that." Daisy turned to Luigi, still in awe. "Come on, Luigi. Let's follow him."

"Arf!"

Luigi shook his head and blinked his eyes to regain his focus. He let the princess and his pet walk in first before heading inside. The lab was slightly dim, but it was far more technological than the bunker in Evershade Valley. Everyone made themselves comfortable in the limited space.

"Heh heh heh! Welcome to my special, portable laboratory! How do you like it?" E. Gadd asked while sitting in his highchair.

"It's really neat," said Luigi. "There are better words to describe this place, but I'm having trouble saying them."

"Why, thank you, Luigi! This portable lab is another of my brilliant inventions! It's sturdy, safe, and air-conditioned! Whenever it gets cold, I have a built-in radiator as well. Thankfully, it won't overheat my computer system. I brought this along with me in my car because I always knew I'd need it one day. And what a convenient time to set it up!"

"I'll say. But anyway, can you tell us why you're here, Professor?" queried Daisy.

"Ah, yes. We are secure and situated in this bunker, so I might as well answer your question. It's a bit of a long story, but to put it bluntly, I was tricked," E. Gadd shook his head in disappointment. "I got an invitation from someone named Hellen Gravely who claimed that she owned this hotel. The letter said they had a precious collection of ghosts, gathered from all over the world! No self-respecting ghost researcher would pass up on such an appealing offer, obviously! Thus, I accepted their invitation! But when I arrived, I found out too late that it was only a ruse!"

"You're in the same boat as us," the green-clothed man muttered.

"They captured me in the process, but the worst part is that they took my precious ghost collection! And that includes all the ghosts you worked so hard to catch for me before – from the illusory mansion and Evershade Valley!"

"So that's why I saw a Gold Ghost and a few Greenies in the hotel," Luigi apprehended.

"Well, the Greenies and the other Evershade ghosts were normal after the Dark Moon was repaired. I wanted to bring them along so they could interact with the ones residing here. Now, they're back to their mischievous selves again! Unfortunately, there's even terrible news."

"What could be worse than what you've told us already?" Daisy wondered.

E. Gadd fiddled with his glasses. "Not only did the plain ghosts escape, but so did all of the Portrait Ghosts!"

Luigi's eyes widened. "What?! You can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid I am. Hellen forced her hotel staff to steal the paintings from my gallery in Boo Woods. The special ghosts you captured and framed are free yet again, and they could be roaming this spooky resort as of now. The biggest one to escape, however, was King Boo! Losing him really got under my skin! He's my favorite, I must admit..."

"Um, I hate to break the ice here, but he escaped," Daisy folded her arms. "That's why I got captured, too."

"And so have Mario, Peach, and the Toads. It's all my fault for putting them in this mess," the plumber felt like he was going to cry. Colombo whimpered to see his owner take all the blame again. He thought Luigi didn't deserve this.

"Ugh! That Hellen Gravely! She's the mastermind behind this! She was the one who released King Boo and deceived all of us!" E. Gadd was flustered.

"I really hope we can get some payback against her," Daisy punched a fist in her left hand. "I've learned a lot from the Smash tournaments, and I bet I can whip out a Daisy Bomber on her trashy hairdo!"

"Luigi, I hate to be that kind of guy again, but you're our only hope! Against all odds, without any hesitation, and at any cost... you have to get my ghost collection back!"

"And if I say 'no'?" E. Gadd frowned at him. "Okay! Okay! You don't have to give me that look. I'll get the ghosts again," Luigi moaned, looking down at his shoes.

"I can always count on you, lad. You're the best ghost hunter I know... because you're still the _only_ ghost hunter I know!" he chortled. "Why don't you give me all the ghosts you captured so far? My convenient Ghost Container is right over there," he pointed to his left.

Luigi nodded and pressed the nozzle to the container's slot. He pushed the handle forward to lock the ghosts into the tank.

"Excellent! Now, Princess Daisy, I must ask, would you prefer to stay here where it's safe, or would you like to experience what it's like to be a ghost hunter?"

"Really? Me catching ghosts? I'm so up for that!"

"I hope you don't mind a hand-me-down, but I have kept something Luigi knows very well." E. Gadd turned around to grab something from underneath his desk. "Ta-da! The Poltergust 5000, the exact model from the Dark Moon adventure!"

"Neat! But what happened to the 6000?"

"Eh, after Luigi gave it back to me, I sort of misplaced it. **_(3)_** I can't remember where I put that darn thing. Nonetheless, this will do fine. The suction power is still strong, and the technology is quite similar. But it doesn't have the extra attachments that the G-00 has."

"That's okay. I can just learn by myself or from the ghost hunter himself. I'll be as skilled as you are, Luigi! Or I could be better," she teased.

The man in green remained quiet.

"Either way, whatever ghosts you catch, you can bring them to the lab. Along the way, I'm sure you'll find Mario, Peach, and the others. But you have to keep alert for the spirits while roaming this hotel, especially the Portrait Ghosts. They can be quite unpredictable. To help you out, I have yet another invention to show you."

E. Gadd grabbed something underneath his seat and pulled out a bulky, red device.

"I call it... the Virtual Boo! VB for short! Ain't it a beauty?"

"Um..." Luigi didn't have a definite answer.

"This is a state-of-the-art virtual-reality device fitted with a fancy red screen! Really cutting-edge stuff! And red is all the rage, you know? Just wait until I finish the marketing materials on this! It'll fly off the shelves! Heh heh heh!"

"So this is what Virtual Reality has come to, huh? Hmm, I can't help but think I've seen this before," Daisy put a hand on her chin.

Despite his reluctance, Luigi took the gadget. "So what does it do again?"

"The VB can allow you to communicate with me at any time. You can apply the goggles to your eyes to see me, or I can tap into the VB's microphone and give you quick updates. At least it'll be a way to give your eyes a break if they feel disoriented. We can test out the communications system later. But I have one more thing to give you."

The professor held out his fingers before taking out another red device. This one was smaller and cylindrical-shaped.

"The first thing you need to do is install this tracker inside the elevator for me. I'll tell you what it is later. Just get it installed once you return there!" he handed it to the princess.

"Sweet!" Daisy grinned. "I think we're ready to get going! I'll be right by your side, Luigi... Right after I change my clothes though. This dress is already worn out, and my suitcase is out there. I hope the Steward didn't ruin anything in there either."

After she exited the lab, Luigi got closer to E. Gadd to whisper something.

"Professor, is it really a smart idea to let Daisy go ghost hunting?"

"Listen, boy, I understand she's relatively new to this, and she's a rookie who'll take a lot of time to master the Poltergust, but I think you could use the extra help. So much has transpired that I worry about your health. Honest. Aside from Colombo, I think Daisy can be quite helpful to assist you in searching for your friends."

"I mean, I see your point. But I can't help but think of her getting captured again. If King Boo managed to get her, who knows if he'll do it again? To put her at risk like this is already stressing me out now. It'll be my fault if I fail her."

E. Gadd leaned forward in his chair, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Luigi, have faith in yourself and Daisy. You two are a team together."

"Ruff!" Colombo interjected.

"Excuse me. You three can be a force to stop those ghosts from causing mayhem. I believe that you can take down King Boo again, but I fear that this quest is far more perilous than the one in Evershade. That's why I persuaded Daisy. I know you want nothing more than your friends to be safe, including her. But she's willing to support you no matter what."

Luigi hated to concede that the elderly scientist was right. Although he didn't want Daisy to be in danger, she wasn't useless nor does she plan to be that way. If she trusted him, he had to feel the same.

Ultimately, the plumber gave in. "Alright. I'll go with her."

E. Gadd patted his shoulder. "There you go! I wish you all the luck. Go get 'em, Luigi."

The Italian gave a nod before rejoining Daisy out in the Garage. She was currently wearing an orange tee with a flower icon, a white, long-sleeve shirt underneath, athletic shorts, and sneakers. Behind her back was the Poltergust 5000.

"I didn't think wearing a new dress would be comfortable with this on my back, so I went casual. What do you think, Luigi?"

The man gave her a genuine smile. "You look ready to go." Colombo also agreed.

"Great! Let's head to the elevator then!"

"Okey-dokey!"

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Although we didn't get a dual boss fight in the Basement, I've received some feedback from TAWOGfan2000 and LightDusk16 for several ghost combos. The first of which will be shown when Luigi returns to the RIP Suites. Meanwhile, some floors will only contain individual fights. However, we might run into the others in various rooms. Hopefully, everything will come to fruition as I continue._

_Also, surprise! Daisy is here! (No, this is not Smash Ultimate.) I planned to have her in this story when I drafted the outline. To Draco Mercer, XIII Hearts, and the others who guessed/wanted Daisy in the story, how's that for an appearance? I do have something to say regarding this. I received a review from a Guest who predicted the captive's identity. They wrote in a way that sounded like a spoiler, and ironically, it WAS a spoiler despite not knowing my intentions. For future reference, please review in a way that it doesn't sound like a spoiler or it could ruin it for other readers. Predictions are fine, but phrase it appropriately._

_Finally, I'll be doing something special. As I'm approaching my three-year anniversary of Fanfiction, I want to do a special Q&A with you guys! Questions can be about myself, my interests, or anything in general. There are limitations though, such as very personal info about me, story spoilers, troll questions – I won't go into detail on such topics. And just so the Author's Notes section won't be extremely cluttered, I will accept up to two questions per user, regardless if you have a Fanfiction account or not. I plan to write at least another chapter and then have the Q&A in Ch. 6 which I'll try to post on December 26th (the day I published my first story here on FFN). It's remarkable yet surprising how time has passed, but I want to do something that allows me to interact with you all as a present for your support!_

_Sorry for making the outro very long. But as always, I want to thank everyone for reading! Don't forget to favorite/follow Hotel Horror if you haven't already. Please review to let me know how this one went or if I need to fix any errors. Until then, I'll see you all in the next one! This is TGN, signing off._

* * *

**_Post-Chapter Notes:_**

**_(1):_**_ As Bayoboo asked in their review, the picture frame originally had money inside of it to let the player test out the Dark-Light Device, especially if they never played Dark Moon. Instead, I had Daisy trapped in the painting for her debut._

**_(2):_**_ The Steward technically looks like a larger Goob, but I wanted him to be related to Hellen in some way, even if it's not canon. Trying to add some lore here, you know?_

**_(3):_**_ The Poltergust 6000 version I used in Hidden Bravery will not appear in this story. I feel like that should be its own thing since I made it up. Plus, it's technically part of a Mario & Sonic crossover story that has some relevance to previous Mario games._


	6. Ch 5: This Isn't a Suite Life

_A/N:__ As a reminder, the Q&A will be posted in the next update which I plan to upload on Dec. 26. All the details are found at the end of the previous chapter. An additional note I should mention is that I will accept all questions until Christmas Eve so I can format everything into place._

_Also, remember that poll I made about the character tags? That was just a decoy. With Daisy joining the cast, I posted a new survey with her as a selectable option. I'll be fair to Hellen and King Boo by giving them a second chance._

_Lastly, I want to thank everyone for reading and/or reviewing! I also appreciate GreenSwitch, DatBeardyGuy, jester3423377, ultragreenyellow56, and AntRome7 for the favorites and follows. And to those who already submitted some questions, I have already answered them, but I'm always ready for more! Let's return to Hotel Horror!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Luigi's Mansion or anything Mario related. If you want to avoid spoilers, please exit this story right now!_

* * *

**Chapter 5:** This Isn't a Suite Life

Luigi, Daisy, and Polterpup were all ready to officially begin their adventure in the haunted hotel. The princess was eager since it's her first time going on a ghost hunt. Once they entered the elevator, she brought out the cylindrical device E. Gadd gave her.

"I'm not the best at this kind of stuff. Do you think you can install it, Luigi?"

"I can try," he scrutinized the gadget. Then, it automatically turned on, expelling some steam as it startled Luigi. He fumbled around before getting a hold of it. "Okay, let me just unscrew this here, do this, and... Voila!"

The three watched the elevator tracker materialize next to the button panel. A large, red screen and a smaller one popped out of the device, indicating the elevator's location and a map of the corresponding floor. Colombo barked happily at the exposed invention. Then, E. Gadd appeared on the little monitor.

"Ah, Luigi! Daisy! Great work! It seems like the installation was a success!"

"It looks interesting, but what does it do?"

"I'm glad you asked, Luigi! The tracker can extract map data about the hotel floors from within the elevator! It takes all that data and displays it on the monitor! Isn't that great?"

"I guess it's a way to let us know what to expect when we visit the other levels!" said Daisy.

"Exactly! It currently has the map of the Basement since B1 is accessible. Now then, why don't you take the buttons you collected from the Steward and insert them into the panel?"

"Oh, right! I almost forgot!" Luigi took out the '**1**' button. He was about to place it in himself, but the button magically flew into its respective slot and locked in place. Luigi smiled and brought out the '**5**' button. After the same thing occurred, the tracker displayed a map of the Hotel Lobby and the RIP Suites.

"Alrighty then! Now the panel has three buttons! Although we did explore part of the Mezzanine, the elevator can't stop on 2F until we get that button. We also can't access the third and fourth floors, either. You would think Hellen and her staff would build a staircase. But of course, things aren't always that easy."

"Not only that, I wouldn't be a fan of climbing several flights of stairs. I'd be pooped after walking up three floors minimum!"

"Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll find those buttons in no time!" E. Gadd smirked.

"Should we just head on up now?" Daisy was about to press the '**5**' button.

"Hold on, Daisy! Before you move on, I want to let you know that the tracker is linked to the Virtual Boo! The data is automatically sent to the VB, so you can view the map anywhere, anytime! It can give you a detailed layout of the floor, so don't go forgetting about it!"

"That sounds convenient."

"Indeed! The map is super helpful for inspecting new floors. While you three are exploring the hotel, you should hunt down the elevator buttons as they will let you reach new floors, ripe for exploration! Oh, and you might find your friends, too! Heh heh heh! Also, one last thing. We need to test the VB's communication system. You can put the goggles on and activate the E. Gadd Hotline by pressing the button on the side."

"E. Gadd Hotline? You know, Professor, sometimes I question the naming scheme for your inventions."

"Ah, don't worry about it, lad. Just do it for me."

"Okay, then." Luigi grabbed the VB and placed the headset over his eyes. He pressed the button, and he saw a low-resolution image of E. Gadd on the red monochrome display.

"How does it look?" Daisy asked.

"It's not very high-tech, honestly. I've seen cell phones do a better job at projecting virtual reality."

"Testing... Testing... One, two, three... This is E. Gadd, resident genius! Am I coming through loud and clear, Luigi?"

"In a way, yes. I'm going to have to get used to this red though."

"Fantastic! It appears that the VB's communication system is working perfectly! That means you can contact me anytime you need to! And don't worry, Daisy! You should be able to hear me so you're not excluded from the conversation."

"I sure can!" she grinned.

"Don't hesitate to talk to me if you need help. As for our next task, I have a request. You should be able to take the elevator up to 5F, right? I was actually staying in a room on that floor. Can you go and fetch my briefcase for me? Unfortunately, I can't remember the number."

"It's okay, E. Gadd. We'll go search for it!" Daisy spoke.

"Great! Good luck out there! Try to come back alive!"

"Thanks for the encouragement," Luigi rolled his eyes, removing the VB off his face. Pressing the '**5**' button, the elevator ascended to what used to be the VIP Suites.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

At the highest level of The Last Resort, Hellen Gravely was resting in her Main Observation Room. Instead of facing her desk, she was looking at her security cameras. There were thirteen television screens on the back wall; six small ones were hooked up on the left and right while a larger monitor was positioned in the middle. There was even a model of her hotel placed in the other corner of the room.

For the past half-hour, she caught footage of the green plumber lingering through the hotel's lower levels. Although she had the proof that Luigi was still alive, he was also on the loose. The purple woman was determined to seize him so she could please King Boo.

She rotated her chair, facing a Goob, a Golden Ghost, and a Greenie wearing staff clothes. The three spirits waited until she spoke.

"So, it appears that our VIP is trying to save his friends. He already managed to save two of them, but let's make sure his efforts are for naught. Spread the word to the other ghosts. I want you to bring that cowardly man to my lair so I could present the king with what he desires. Do you understand my command?"

Even though the generic ghosts didn't speak English, they all made some encouraging sounds.

"Excellent. You may now leave," she watched them vanish through the vault door.

Hellen took a moment to admire her small King Boo knickknack on the desk, encased inside a glass box. Just then, she heard a noise near her feet. The ghost looked down and grinned when she saw a purple cat sitting underneath the desk. The feline had blue eyes, a small white collar with a violet pendant around her long neck, and three slender tails. Hellen patted her lap, convincing her to sit there.

"There, there, my sweet Polterkitty... You're so much better than that annoying, energetic beast of a dog. Cats are much cuter anyway."

"Meow..." Polterkitty purred.

Hellen softly chuckled to herself before returning to the monitors. "Oh, Luigi... You have no idea what we have in store for you. I'm sure you'll run into many other surprises in my lovely hotel... That is, if you can even survive for long."

* * *

_Location: 5F – RIP Suites_

Along the ride, Luigi and Colombo helped Daisy learn the basic controls of the 5000. By the time she finished learning, the elevator reached the fifth level. Luigi hesitated to exit through the doors. Daisy gave him a quizzical glance.

"Come on, Luigi. You can't be that scared, right?"

He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I still can't believe that all of this happened."

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find Mario, Peach, and the others soon. Besides, what's the worst that can happen?"

Luigi didn't answer. His conversation with E. Gadd was stuck in his mind. To reiterate, as much as he trusted both him and Daisy, the last thing Luigi wanted was for the princess to suffer from something fatal. Being trapped in a painting was practically a death sentence to him, especially since Mario's been a victim thrice.

Then, he heard a familiar ringtone coming from the VB. He put the goggles back on to see E. Gadd.

"Ah, Luigi. I just remembered something important I neglected to mention. Remember how you used the plunger to grab your opponents in the Smash tournaments?"

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that, too."

"Right! The Suction Shot is one of the additional features to the Poltergust G-00! You can fire the rubber plunger to let it stick onto flat and smooth surfaces. You can then suck on the rope and pull off a powerful slam to break any objects that stand in your way! Sadly, it's not featured on Daisy's Poltergust 5000. So if you happen to come across anything heavy, I would just ignore it for now."

"Okay. Sounds good."

"I'll talk to you later. And don't forget my briefcase!" E. Gadd closed the call.

"So, this was the floor you and the others stayed, right?" queried Daisy.

"Yeah. Peach, Mario, Colombo, and I went down this hallway. From what I remember, King Boo made the doors disappear. Not only that, this couch is in the way!"

"I guess that won't matter for now. E. Gadd's suite must be down this hallway."

"Makes sense to me. Let me get rid of these suitcases though. Watch out, Daisy. I don't want to accidentally hit you."

The princess stood back as he watched the green hero slam the blockades. She collected some of the money that came out. After passing a sitting area, they approached the end of the corridor where they saw a cleaning cart and the entrance to Room 504.

"I know the other Toads were given room keys to this part of the floor. And-" Luigi paused when he saw the cart slowly move on its own. It then zipped down the corner. "WAH!"

"Alright... That was freaky," Daisy admitted. She and Luigi heard some ghosts laughing.

"I hope the rooms are all unlocked because I don't have their keys."

"Only one way to find out."

Colombo hopped through the door first before Luigi and Daisy entered the suite. The plumber noticed a pair of blue headphones and some luggage lying around, so he assumed this was Blue Toad's room. They decided to leave and check the remaining rooms. Rooms 505 and 506 belonged to the other Toads as Luigi found their baggage, too. When they returned to the hallway, Luigi heard something from within a hole in the wall. He peeked inside and saw a Goob and a Greenie brushing their teeth in the bathroom. Then, the blue ghost scrubbed the brush on his behind, forming bubbles around his waist. The Greenie laughed as the Goob shook it off.

Luigi flushed in embarrassment. "I _definitely_ didn't need to see that."

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo sensed something from inside Room 508.

"I think I hear humming in there," Daisy pressed her ear against the door. Luigi did the same.

"You're right. I think I hear someone else inside, too."

"Let's check it out!"

Daisy went inside the room first with Luigi quivering behind. Colombo passed through the wall, staying quiet so that he and the others wouldn't be noticed. They spotted two ghosts – a female maid and a male butler. Luigi recognized the latter.

"I must say, what is the point of dusting off the furniture if the people who reside here are already captured?" Shivers the Butler questioned, holding an unlit candelabrum.

"It doesn't matter if they're all stuck in paintings. I enjoy spring cleaning!" the maid named Chambrea responded while dusting the desk.

"Hmm, so you're one of those people."

"So what if I'm a neat freak? It's my passion to keep things tidy and organized. And besides, we can find some good stuff from the guests."

"Seriously? You're snooping around and thinking about taking other people's possessions?"

"Ooh! Look at this!" Chambrea picked up a red briefcase with E. Gadd's logo on it. "I wonder what's inside! How do I even open this?"

Luigi's teeth clenched. "That's the professor's briefcase!"

"It sure is. Let's grab it!" she carelessly closed the door loudly. Luigi cringed from the slam. Not only that, Chambrea and Shivers jumped. When they turned around, the butler shrieked.

"Eek! It's the man in green again! What are you doing here?!"

"I think that question applies to you, buddy!" Daisy shot back. "You should be back in your painting where you belong!"

"Absolutely not! I have freedom yet again! I'm taking this opportunity to become someone else's retainer to provide adequate service! That, and I want to find Melody. Oh, how I pine for that piano master!"

"Wait, I thought you were attracted to me!" Chambrea huffed.

"Uh, it's kind of a one-sided relationship. She doesn't like me back. And to be fair, I was roaming the hallways until I ran into you."

"Excuse me, can you guys push away your love triangle for a second? We need that briefcase!" Daisy demanded.

"Huh? No way! I found it, so it's mine now!" the maid hugged the bag.

"That's not how it works!"

Chambrea saw the tomboy running towards her, so she went to desperate measures. The ghost swallowed it whole and let the case sit in her stomach. Luigi and Colombo were a bit disgusted.

"Kind of gross, but I don't care. Give it back!" Daisy jumped at her.

"Come on, Shivers! Let's get out of here!" she grabbed his wrist and pulled him away from the princess.

"Wait a minute, Chambrea! I never agreed to escape with you!"

"Too late!" Chambrea zipped past Daisy with Shivers in tow. She stopped in front of Luigi and tickled his nose with her feather duster. The plumber promptly sneezed immediately before falling back. Chambrea went over to the side wall and struggled to fly through with the briefcase in her body. Eventually, she and Shivers disappeared.

"Ugh! I was so close to getting her!" the princess stomped her foot.

"Daisy, you can't be stubborn when interacting with ghosts," Luigi chided as he stood up. "You need to be a bit more... I don't know, sneaky."

"Sneaky?"

"For lack of a better term."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"Try a calmer approach. We're not trying to be jerks to these ghosts. Sure, they freak me out a lot, but I don't mean to be harmful towards them."

"Right... And this is coming from you who goes ahead and slams ghosts onto the floor just recently."

Luigi sighed heavily. "Can you at least try? For me?"

"Alright, I'll do it for you. Now, where do you think they went?"

Colombo had a good guess as he got their attention. He simply walked to the same wall they went through and vanished through it.

"Next door it is! Let's follow him!"

Before they could, Daisy and Luigi got ambushed by a trio of ghouls, scaring both of them. A Gold Ghost, a Greenie, and a Goob were wearing maid outfits and floated around E. Gadd's suite. Luigi thought that this was a good opportunity for his friend.

"Daisy! Get your Strobulb ready!"

"Okay!" she charged her flashlight. As the ghosts got closer to them, she waited for the right moment until all three revealed their faces. Releasing the bright light, she stunned all of them. Even better, every ghost got caught in the nozzle as Daisy used the suction power. Her sneakers dragged across the carpet, but she maintained her focus. Daisy even learned how to slam the ghosts with the 5000. In a matter of seconds, she caught the combo inside the vacuum.

"Now that's how you handle the ghosts! Great job!" Luigi congratulated.

"Thanks! I'd say your advice worked out well!"

"You'll be a natural soon enough."

"What? You're saying I'm not good right now?" she teased.

Luigi blinked. "Huh? That's not what I meant."

"I was just playing with you, Luigi! Come on, let's head over."

He sighed in relief, letting out a chuckle. They headed over to Room 507 where they found an unfinished suite filled with white tarps, construction equipment, a work desk, and rolls of wallpaper. Chambrea was distracted from dusting that she didn't see Luigi or Daisy. Shivers, on the other hand, was staring out the window. Luigi placed a finger over his mouth as he tiptoed towards the maid. Soon, she realized the plumber creeping near her. Luigi tried to stun her with the Strobulb and got the briefcase wedged in the hose. But Chambrea wasn't losing health, and she tickled the plumber's nose again.

"Achoo! Darn it!"

Meanwhile, Daisy rushed over to Shivers before Chambrea could grab him. She flashed the butler with the light and sucked on the tail. Daisy caught him for a few seconds as she drained his health. She wasn't able to get him in one go as Shivers escaped to the next room. Chambrea followed him from behind.

"Nice try, but that was quite an embarrassment for you!" she mocked Luigi.

"You okay?" Daisy pulled him up.

"Yeah. Thanks."

Just then, E. Gadd contacted him through the VB's microphone. "Luigi, can you hear me again?"

"Yes, Professor. Loud and clear."

"Sorry, I was busy rummaging through my lab for something. I was going to check up on your progress. Did you get my briefcase yet?"

"No, we didn't. We ran into Shivers the Butler and a maid who ended up... er, eating it, so to speak..."

"What?! That's not what I wanted to hear. Although I must say, it's interesting how you already found a ghost from the first mansion."

"Yeah, but we got an issue," Daisy interjected. "When Luigi tried flashing Chambrea, she was hardly fazed. The Poltergust just got stuck on the briefcase."

"Hmm... That does sound like a predicament. If I recall, my briefcase has a smooth circle on it. You should try using the Suction Shot to grab and slam her!"

"Why didn't I think of that?" Luigi felt dumb.

"No worries, Luigi. I'm positive you'll succeed! Over and out."

"At least I know what to do now. Besides that, you did well against Shivers for a bit."

"Really? Thanks, Luigi! I can sense he could be done after another good suck!"

"Yeah... Um, let's hope no one takes that out of context."

"What do you mean by- Oh... I see," her cheeks went red.

Pushing that aside, they saw Colombo walk out of the incomplete bathroom. He rejoined the two as they tried searching through Red Toad's suite. Surprisingly, they had no luck even though Luigi detected their silhouettes with the Dark-Light Device. Then, they heard something in the bathroom.

"This is where I saw those ghosts brushing their teeth," Luigi mentioned.

"You think we should catch them?"

"If they're still here."

They all went inside, but there was no sign of the spirits. However, Luigi jumped when he heard the shower turn on. They saw steam forming within the curtain.

"Uh, Luigi? I really hope you're not taking a bubble bath right now," Daisy whispered.

"Daisy, there are two problems with your theory. One, I'm fully clothed. And two, how can that be me when I'm standing right here?!" he hissed.

"Bark! Bark!"

"Huh?! What was that?" they heard a woman inside.

"Uh... Housekeeping!" Daisy responded with a shrill voice.

"How rude! You dare barge in here while I'm showering?! You clearly don't know what the word 'privacy' means! You're lucky that I'm wearing my bathing suit!"

"As if we wanted to see you naked..." Luigi shuddered.

Colombo was getting restless that he grabbed the edge of the shower curtain and yanked it off the hooks. From there, they saw Miss Petunia, an overweight, pig-like ghost lathering in soapy hot water.

"AAAHHHH! You stupid dog!" Petunia shrieked. "And you! Why are you peeping on me again?!" she glared at Luigi.

"I wasn't peeping!" Luigi sputtered.

"You disgusting man! I oughta pounce on you with my stunning beauty for creeping on me in the shower twice!"

"Stunning beauty? No offense, miss, but have you checked yourself in the mirror? Or do you have trouble seeing your reflection?" derided Daisy.

"Be quiet! I'm going to- EEK!" Luigi activated the Strobulb and sucked on her tail. Daisy also got close and helped her partner reduce Petunia's health. Colombo barked twice at them to perform a collaborative slam. They followed through by whacking the obese woman twice until she got trapped in the Poltergust G-00.

"Whew! That was quite a team effort there!" Daisy felt proud.

"Yeah. I wasn't thrilled to see her again. Thanks for the assistance," Luigi appreciated.

"No problem! So if those two aren't in here, maybe they went into 505 or 504?"

"Might as well check."

The trio searched Yellow Toad's room and found Chambrea hiding behind the mattress. She tried to play around with Luigi again, but he didn't fall for her tricks. He shot a rubber plunger directly at the front of the briefcase. Pulling on the rope, he tugged it and slammed her on the floor repeatedly.

"Aah! That hurt! I won't give up this beautiful suitcase that easily!" Chambrea flew away yet again.

Before leaving, Daisy noticed the wardrobe shaking. She directed Luigi to open it up with the Suction Shot. Shivers was hiding inside a secret walk-in closet, and he yelped from the sudden jolt. Daisy was able to stun and suck him into the Poltergust 5000. Despite the limited space, she charged the meter and depleted his health quickly until he was completely fatigued. Shivers howled as his body was getting trapped.

His last words were, "NO! Not again! This is worse than lighting myself on fire!"

The Sarasaland ruler successfully captured the butler. She joyfully celebrated with Luigi and Colombo.

"Nice work, Daisy! You captured your first Portrait Ghost all by yourself!"

"Arf! Arf!"

"Thanks! It was quite hectic but exhilarating, too! That just leaves Chambrea, and I have an inkling we'll get that suitcase out of her body soon."

When they checked Blue Toad's room, neither of them could find a trace of her shadows on the walls. A few Golden Ghosts appeared in the room, frightening Luigi. He and Daisy took them on separately while Colombo woofed in encouragement. The ghost hunters were able to trap them without slamming them, and the gates disappeared. Luigi decided to retrace back to Room 506. Using the Dark-Light, he discovered Chambrea's body imprint on the door. That was the only clue he needed before he entered with the others behind.

"You two are a relentless couple, aren't you?" Chambrea started to get tired.

"I guess you could say that," Daisy shrugged, slightly grinning. "Come on, Luigi! Fire that plunger!"

Chambrea swayed to her right to avoid the first Suction Shot, but she wasn't unable to dodge the second. Luigi heaved the plunger from the briefcase and whammed her body all over the mini-golf set. The maid tried to break free, but it was no use. The luggage escaped her stomach before being trapped inside the G-00.

"Whoo-hoo! You did it, Luigi!"

"Ruff!" Colombo licked his owner's face.

"Heh heh! Thanks! Now we got the briefcase!" Luigi stopped when he heard something rattle in his hose. He shook the nozzle before an elevator button fell out. It was marked with a '**3**'.

"Sweet! A new elevator button!" exclaimed Daisy.

"Hey, I heard the great news!" E. Gadd called from the VB. "You were remarkable at catching those ghosts! Now that you have my briefcase and another button, why don't you come back down to the lab? I'll get to present a special surprise to you!"

"You got it, E. Gadd!" Luigi replied, carrying the red bag.

"I know this is only the start of traversing this hotel, but I feel confident to handle the other floors now! With you by my side, Luigi, I'm raring to go!"

"Glad to hear you're excited. I just hope I can handle seeing more ghosts as we move on."

The Polterpup tried to alleviate his fears by cuddling against his leg. Luigi appreciated the thought as he crouched down and scratched his head. The trio stuck around the RIP Suites for a while, looking for money and other collectibles. Daisy managed to collect a green gem inside a gargoyle statue's mouth. After a few minutes, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo returned to the elevator with E. Gadd's briefcase, wondering what the professor had in store next.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_And so, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo encountered three Boss Ghosts on one floor: Miss Petunia and Shivers from the first mansion, and Chambrea! They also got a button that'll lead them to the third floor. Who will they meet next?_

_In case you guys didn't notice, there isn't a PCN section for this chapter. I've gotten a comment on a different fic saying that the notes interrupt the flow. Frankly, I'm starting to think that I should disregard it moving forward. The old chapters and fanfics I've written will keep those since I'm too lazy to edit everything. Either way, I'm curious; do you think I should no longer include Post-Chapter Notes for my fanfictions? Or should I continue them, only sparingly? (I'll still make references here and there, but I won't fully explain them if I discontinue it.)_

_Either way, thanks again for reading. I hope everyone's ready for Christmas as we're approaching the end of the year. And once we reach December 26, I'll be uploading my Q&A on all of my current stories! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the review box or through a PM! Don't forget to follow/favorite for more updates. Until then, I'll see you guys next time where we'll greet our new, gooey ally! This is TGN, signing off._


	7. Ch 6: I Am Goo

_A/N:__ Merry belated Christmas, everyone! I hope everyone is having a nice holiday. Sadly, mine has been pretty bad since I've been dealing with a sore throat and a headache for the past several days. Nonetheless, we are getting closer to 2020, and I promised to upload a new chapter of Hotel Horror. Well, here it is! The Q&A is found at the very bottom for those who are interested._

_As for the Post-Chapter Notes, I've gotten some comments that some do not mind them, but it'd be better if I didn't include the numbers and kept the trivia down at the bottom. Therefore, I will follow this advice. I think it makes sense that I'll change my formatting a bit as we head into the new year. Thank you to XIII Hearts, MarioFan88, and Verran for the awesome feedback! Plus, I want to thank LightDusk16 and TAWOGfan2000 once more for their ideas on the Boss Ghosts!_

_Another thing to address, I recently got a review from DoggoneKingBoo who wondered if I can add the Possessor Ghosts from Dark Moon into this fanfic. Unfortunately, I have two problems with this. One, I think using all of the Portrait Ghosts will create a large cast of bosses that it's not necessary to include more. Secondly, I already included the Possessor Ghosts in my first project, Hidden Bravery. I feel like bringing them back in another story of mine would be too redundant. And I have a bad tendency of repeating things. Although I do understand the idea of it, I don't think I'll be adding them. Nonetheless, I appreciate the thought and thank you for reviewing._

_And of course, thanks to everyone else who read and/or reviewed! Shoutouts go to Spectral Dreamer, RandallBeast19, ChrisGamer3095, stargirldnc2001, BOOM Fanfic-a-latta, gdcintl, bowser0821, and Superfloxes for the favorites and follows! HH is now over **9,000 views** as well as **50 favorites** and **followers**!_

_Sorry for the long intro! Without further ado, let's get right into the goo!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Spoilers to Luigi's Mansion 3 are found here, so read at your own risk if you don't care about them. I do not own the Mario characters or franchise either._

* * *

**Chapter 6:** I Am Goo

_Location: B1 – Basement_

E. Gadd was busy typing away on his computer, barely hearing the captured ghosts fumbling inside the nearby container. At one point, he inspected the ghosts Luigi captured earlier. He wasn't surprised to see a few Greenies or Goobs, but the Golden Ghosts left him intrigued. Albeit, E. Gadd was aware that Hellen ordered her hotel staff to head over to his lab and all the other spirits there, which included Shivers and the other Portrait Ghosts. Because of this, he suspected that the ghosts from the first mansion were roaming around the hotel, too.

Soon, he heard the lab door open automatically. He rotated his highchair to see Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo return.

"Ah, what impeccable timing! Hand me my briefcase, Luigi! Chop-chop!"

"Sheesh. You couldn't even say 'please'?" he complained as he brought it to the professor.

"Heh heh heh! This! This is what I wanted! The time has come to use it in battle!"

"And of course, you still didn't say it."

"Just let it go, Luigi," Daisy whispered.

"I'm too old to be out catching ghosts by myself, sadly. At this day and age, I'm more of a researcher on paranormal studies. Rather than give up on my ghostly pursuits, I thought I'd create a helper to take my place," E. Gadd smirked as he opened the suitcase. A green glow shined in front of his face. "Are you ready for this, fellers?"

"Ready for what?" Luigi lowered one of his eyebrows.

The short scientist lifted out at a flask filled with a green substance inside. "Behold! The latest invention from the brilliant mind of Professor E. Gadd! I give you... _Gooigi_!"

"Gooigi?" Luigi and Daisy repeated. Colombo tilted his head as well.

"Indeed! This little helper here was part of an accidental discovery when I was working at the Gloomy Manor in Evershade Valley."

"Helper? Professor, that's just a tank full of... green stuff. Are you sure you're not insane or something?"

"Hohoho, if I was insane, I would've called someone who actually hunts ghosts for a profession. But that's silly! I ended up asking for your help to restore the Dark Moon!"

"You never asked in the first place! You made me warp through your Pixelator against my will!"

"I digress, young feller!" E. Gadd continued, causing the plumber to groan.

"So, how was... Gooigi created?" Daisy questioned.

"Glad you asked, Princess! I was going through some of my research until a stealthy Hider spooked me from behind. While carrying a cup of my famous joe, it spilled with a concoction of Lunoman Greenie blend. Now I bet you're wondering what that stuff is, but that's not as important. Anyway, the coffee and the Greenie blend started to react! It became this viscous element that I deemed as _Goo_! Believe me, I'm going to earn a patent for this wondrous yet unexpected creation!"

"Is there anything more to it?"

"Why, yes! I tested out the characteristics of Goo for a while. Turns out that it can melt easily from fire. Water is also a weakness to it, but it doesn't dissolve surprisingly; it disperses instead!"

"And how exactly does Gooigi work?" Luigi wondered.

"I'll explain the full details on that later. To say the least, it was quite a challenge to go through the development process. Fortunately, I had a little help from someone to test the prototype!"

"Who's that?"

"Oh, that's a special secret to me and a few others," E. Gadd waved it off. "Here, Luigi. I'm going to attach this to the Poltergust G-00. Turn around for me, would you?"

"I only realize now that the Poltergust's name has some correlation to Gooigi or whatever you- GAACK! What the heck?!" Luigi felt a bump behind his back. E. Gadd dispensed the gooey substance into the glass tank of the vacuum.

"Imagine injecting that into your veins," the orange princess jested.

"I don't _want_ to think about that, Daisy," Luigi huffed.

"Ok! It's all set up!"

"Hey, Professor, I sort of noticed that there was green stuff in the G-00 back when I was in the Smash tournaments. Have I been fighting with the Goo stored inside?"

"Not quite. I chose to add something else since the empty container made it look very dull. There used to be alien blood in there."

"WHAT?!" Luigi choked on his saliva.

"Hohoho! Just kidding, sonny! It was only water with green food coloring!" Luigi heaved, wiping the sweat off his forehead. He didn't find that joke amusing whatsoever. "Now then, let's practice a bit. Follow me outside. Daisy, you can spectate with me," he threw the empty canister carelessly.

"Okay! I'm excited to see this!" Daisy grinned.

"I'm not..."

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo tried to encourage his owner. Luigi had to deal with some crazy stuff before. He couldn't imagine what E. Gadd had in store for him next.

* * *

In the Garage, the professor guided Luigi to stand underneath a metal cage. When the plumber noticed the large shadow on the floor, he sneaked a glance above him. Instantly, his heart pounded. He could already tell this wasn't good in the slightest. He just wasn't sure how this – whatever _this_ is, technically – was going to unfold.

E. Gadd, Daisy, and Colombo stayed away from the metal hutch. Behind them was a barricade that covered a pulley system that held the cage with some rope, surrounded by a large puddle of water. Luigi was still distracted by the cage that he didn't pay attention to the other details. At the same time, E. Gadd pulled out a remote control and pressed the only button on it. A metal wheel clanked in motion, unwinding the rope. A loud bang made everyone but the professor jump in shock, especially Luigi.

"What? Huh?" he gawked at the cage that imprisoned him. "But... But, I-I-I-I..." he stuttered as his nose stuck out between the bars.

E. Gadd only looked up at him with a stupid, cheeky grin. "Heh heh heh! I've caught you in my trap, Luigi! Now there's no escaping for you!" he rubbed his hands in a sinister manner.

"Professor! I'm tired of your jokes already! I swear, I'm going to bust out of this hotel through the fricking glass windows even if it kills me!"

"Oh, don't worry, my boy! I'm just kidding! Sort of... But I am going to need you to stay locked up."

Luigi was stressed out that he felt like he wanted to fall down and give up. And he thought escaping down a laundry chute was worse. Apparently, his previous thoughts were accurate. The professor has really gone insane.

"So, where is this going, E. Gadd? As much as it's hilarious to poke fun at Luigi-"

"HEY!" he glared at Daisy.

"Sorry, Weege! Anyway, I'm not sure where this is going with the whole Gooigi thing."

"Hold your horses, I'm getting there!" the old man snapped his fingers. "Luigi, you'll be using Gooigi to try to escape from your cell. All you have to do is press the green button on the Poltergust to summon him out of your tank!"

"Are you sure this is safe, Professor?"

"Come on, Luigi! Don't you trust me?"

His face became redder than Mario's hat. E. Gadd was pushing the buttons on his overalls a tad too much.

Exasperated, Luigi gazed down at the hose and noticed the green button beneath the Strobulb charger. He didn't question about it initially, but it seemed to have a purpose now. Pressing the button once felt like the light flashed before his eyes. It kind of spooked the plumber a little. However, his vision returned to normal that he could see outside the cage. But he noticed that he was facing the wall with the Garage door. Beforehand, he was directed towards his friends. That's when he faced them again, feeling a little disoriented as his entire body quivered. From there, something was blocking his view. He noticed a dozing man with a green hat and shirt, blue overalls, a red vacuum on his back with a vacant tank, and...

Wait a minute.

"Oh. My. God..." Daisy's mouth was agape. She walked to the front of the prison and stared at her sleeping hero to the right. Behind him was an identical copy of the man in green. Except, he was nothing but green! Colombo was also curious, so he teleported inside the cage. He sniffed the gooey doppelganger, licking one of his boots. The figure flinched from the contact. Colombo tasted a familiar flavor, eventually realizing that it was E. Gadd's coffee. Nevertheless, the Polterpup was fascinated at the sight of two Luigis.

"Ta-da! Behold! This is your very own personal assistant, Gooigi! I created a mold to pour the Goo in so I could create a human shape of it. Luigi was the base model, and it turned out perfectly! I was able to teach him how to catch ghosts and test his abilities, as I mentioned earlier. Speaking of which, he can slip through tight spaces, like grates or vents. His physique is incredibly soft and malleable. It's really quite amazing! Go on! See for yourself!"

**"See for myself?"**

Colombo's tail spiked up in surprise. Daisy was also startled. "Um, is it just me, or did I hear Lu- I mean, _Gooigi_, talk?"

"You're not dreaming, Princess! Something I neglected to mention is that he does not move on his own or react in a sensible manner. Initially, I embedded a microchip in Gooigi's brain to dictate his actions and body movement with a controller. I can let him walk to wherever I want and do a few other techniques. However, I ran into an issue with him using the Poltergust. He can use the vacuum at one point, but he would keep the suction on continuously! It turns out that Gooigi could be optimally coordinated. Therefore, I tossed aside the idea of using a controller and figured out how to transfer one's consciousness into Gooigi! That's where the Poltergust G-00 plays a prominent role!"

"That's a lot of information to take in," Daisy scratched her head.

"There's more to this!" Gadd raised his index finger. "Gooigi can be brought out of the tank through this connection. Whoever is wearing the Poltergust would have their conscience conveyed to him! Thanks to a sensor I installed in the G-00, I experimented with the new system. In a matter of seconds, _I_ became Gooigi! My plan was a stunning success! I was able to function as Gooigi as if it was my own body! The only downside was that my original body fell into a deep slumber. I returned to my own self after calling Gooigi into the container."

"So from what you explained, are you saying that Luigi can 'control' Gooigi since he's wearing the Poltergust G-00?" Daisy comprehended.

"Precisely! Did you get all that, Luigi? Or should I say, _Gooigi_?" E. Gadd clapped his hands together.

**"I think so... Maybe,"** he replied with a distorted tone.

"Luigi, can you hear me? Give me a wave or a thumbs-up if you understand me."

**"Yes, I can hear you, Daisy."**

"Huh... I don't know if this is creepy or intriguing."

"Now then, let's continue with your training. Your first goal is to escape through the grating!"

Luigi, with his mind taking over the gooey duplicate of himself, took a moment to get used to the new form. Feeling himself jiggle like a plate of jello was slightly awkward, but he took it one step at a time. By then, he made his way to the iron bars, squishing his entire frame – from his hat to his shoes – through the cold, tight spaces. With enough force, Gooigi escaped from the prison.

"There you go! He moves in basically the same ways you do, so controlling him shouldn't take much getting used to. Not only that, but you can switch between Gooigi and yourself by pressing the green button."

"Now I understand the whole transferring process. At first, I thought it sounded weird and gross. But I think it's kinda cool!" Daisy sounded enthusiastic.

Luigi was more of the opposite, but he couldn't really express himself as his conscience stayed inside Gooigi's mind. He momentarily regained his bearings when he switched to his own body. Simultaneously, the gooey clone fell asleep.

"This is only the beginning of your test, Luigi. You will have to find various ways to implement Gooigi. There will likely be situational purposes that neither you, Daisy, or even Colombo can't accomplish. That's where you can guide him to progress. In this case, why don't you use him to help get yourself out of there? Technically, you have escaped, but not with your real body! Hohoho!"

"You got this, Luigi! I believe in you!" Daisy cheered alongside Colombo.

"Arf!"

Luigi took in the professor's advice and returned to Gooigi's body. He presumed that he needed to reach the barricade to spin the wheel and lift up the cage. The plumber strolled over to the apparatus, but he was unaware of the water puddle. When Gooigi immediately dissolved from the touch, E. Gadd pointed and chortled loudly.

"I have to remind you that Gooigi isn't even remotely waterproof! If he gets wet at all, he'll melt and disappear! Don't worry, he's back home in the G-00. Just be careful with him around anything wet. Oh, and don't forget flames, too! I hope you didn't pack any Fire Flowers!"

Moaning from the failure and another unnecessary joke, Luigi felt the Goo refill the Poltergust's tank. After a few seconds, he expelled Gooigi, taking control and slipping past the metal frame once more. He took his time to go around the barricade and the water until he reached the metal wheel. He pushed the hose's handle to blow air and spin the contraption. The rope tugged on the top of the prison, raising it up for Luigi to officially escape. However, the Italian switched to his normal self and inadvertently stopped using the Poltergust with Gooigi. With the wheel not spinning anymore, the cage slammed onto the concrete when he was reawakened.

"Okay, I give up," Luigi grumbled. "I'd be better off squeezing my _real_ body through the stupid bars."

"Come on, Luigi. Don't give up," Daisy hated to see him upset.

Colombo agreed with her. He stood up and laid his front paws on his leg, woofing twice with an irresistible grin. He knew his owner can complete the mission.

"Like I said before, you can switch between yourself and Gooigi. You can even do it while you're in the middle of some other actions, like using the Poltergust G-00. Don't worry, son. You're still practicing."

Luigi pressed the button and used Gooigi to blow on the wheel once more. Holding back on the handle, Gooigi pressed the green button. The plumber was conscious yet again, but the cage was suspended this time thanks to his gooey partner. Luigi hurried to Daisy before it could fall down again. Once he escaped, he celebrated with her and Colombo. Even Gooigi gave a thumbs-up.

"Nice job, Luigi!" praised Daisy.

"Ruff!" Colombo licked his cheek.

"Heh heh, thanks. It took longer than I expected, but I think I understand the mechanics now."

"Sooner or later, you'll truly get the hang of it. The good news is that we're done with your training, at least for the time being. Let's go back to the lab," E. Gadd motioned to them.

"I don't think we should, Professor," Luigi solemnly shook his head. "Mario, Peach, and the Toads are still out there in the hotel."

"Ah, yes. Saving your friends is a high priority for you. Still, you might as well deposit the ghosts you've already captured."

"That's fair," Luigi got his point. He and Daisy entered the lab and transferred the spirits from their vacuums to the Ghost Container, including Chambrea, Shivers, and Miss Petunia.

"Now, with that elevator button you got from the maid, you can access a new floor! What's the number, out of curiosity?"

"It had a '**3**' on it, so we'll be heading to 3F," explained Daisy.

"Interesting. Well, I wish you luck once again! Contact me on the VB if you need assistance!"

"Okay, Professor! Let's go, Luigi!"

"Ruff!" Colombo barked from outside the door.

The green plumber silently nodded as he led Daisy and Colombo to the elevator. Since he didn't put the '**3**' button into the panel yet, he took it out from his pocket and saw it magically fly into its slot. Luigi noticed the Goo vibrating in his Poltergust. He wasn't sure if that was Gooigi's doing, if he felt the connection to the sensor, or if he was hallucinating.

As he pressed the elevator button, he turned around to face the large mirror, glancing at his reflection. His shoulders were stiff, and his eyes were filled with concern. Even at this ungodly hour, he was nervous about Mario's safety. King Boo wasn't an easy guy, or ghost, to outwit. Plus, Hellen's mysterious presence put him on edge. The only ones who got his support were E. Gadd and the two riding on the elevator with him. Three, if Gooigi counts as a separate entity.

"Luigi, you okay?" Daisy stood next to him.

He looked up at her. "I'm still a little tense."

"Well, if you have the need to vent, I'm here for you. And whenever you need a little cheering up, Colombo should do the trick."

"Arf! Arf!"

"Don't worry, Luigi. I'm going to stick with you no matter what. You can trust me."

Reassured by her soothing words, Luigi sheepishly smiled at the princess. If anything, he was truly grateful he had her and Colombo by his side at the moment. Just from that, he knew he wasn't going out there alone.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

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_Alternatively, the chapter title would've been called 'Be One with the Goo'. Nonetheless, the history of Gooigi comes from E. Gadd's Research Journal which is found on the official Nintendo website under Luigi's Mansion 3. I also got some inspiration from a story called It's Not Easy Being Goo by Verran. You should totally check both of these out! They're really interesting in my opinion!_

_As always, thanks for reading another chapter of Hotel Horror! Be sure to review your thoughts below and follow/favorite the story for more updates! If you want to stay for the Q&A, continue below! Either way, I'll see you all next year! (Hopefully I'll feel better by then.)_

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**~Q&A~**

_Hey, you made it here! Just so you know, all the questions are cumulative. For those that are slightly similar, I combined them to make things easier. I also tried to put them in a cohesive order where some topics are related to the previous question(s). Lastly, if you've already read these responses, it's **not** necessary to reread everything on a different story!_

**What inspired you to write fanfiction in the first place? / In the beginning, what made you want to start writing?  
**_I came across a story called Mario & Sonic: Heroes Unite! by Azurixx, a few crossovers by my friend, FairyTalePrincess16, and other great fanfics in the gaming community (Mario, Sonic, Legend of Zelda, etc.) For some reason, Mario and Sonic fanfics appealed to me more, and that's why I was inspired to make an account and begin writing._

**How did you set up Hidden Bravery since that was your first story?  
**_Luigi is my favorite character, so I wanted him to be the main hero. The initial approach was to create a Mario & Sonic crossover that combined elements of the Chaos Emeralds, the Chaos Heart from Super Paper Mario, and the Dark Moon. I brought back certain characters such as the Possessor Ghosts, Blumiere, and Timpani. And of course, I wanted the Sonic team to join the adventure as well. It's not a very polished story, but I tried my best since I was new to writing fanfiction._

**Did Super Mario Bros Z, or any fan animated sprites on YouTube, inspired you to write this fic (New Brotherhood)?  
**_Not really. Azurixx's story that I mentioned above was one of the main reasons why I was motivated to create an M&S crossover. However, I did watch that series._

**Have you ever thought of making your own original stories aside from just Fanfiction?  
**_I don't think I'm creative to come up with original character designs or names. Plots are something I can work around as long as I have an idea of the characters' purpose. But I've usually stuck with Mario-related stuff since I'm familiar with the content._

**Are you going to write a Pokémon story?  
**_Frankly, I haven't watched or played a lot of Pokémon, so I don't know what the first thing I would do to write one. In short, I likely won't. Sorry!_

**What was the first fanfiction you read on this website? How did you discover it?  
**_I can't remember the very first thing I read since it was an incomplete fanfic and not very memorable. But the one I thoroughly read from start to end was Homeless Two Tail by Green Raccoon. I found it because I was interested in the lore of how Tails and Sonic became friends and surrogate brothers. This is one of the fanfictions that epitomizes it._

**What do you like most about Luigi?  
**_As I said earlier, he's my favorite character. I feel like I'm relatable to him in a few ways. I'm the younger sibling in my family's generation. I tend to be very clumsy and shy of almost everything, too. He feels like a realistic person, but he's also a loyal, dependable hero. I give credit to Nintendo for adding some depth to his character since Luigi's Mansion._

**What was the first Mario game you ever played?  
**_Mario Superstar Baseball__. Because I love baseball as a kid, I discovered it from a game demo in a K-Mart back in 2005. (Yeah, a **K-Mart** of all places...) It was the reason why I asked my parents for a GameCube. Now I wish they can create a Mario Baseball game for the Switch._

**How did you discover Super Mario?  
**_The answer to the last question technically ties to this one, too. But for extra detail, I grew up with that game and Super Mario Sunshine. Aside from a few more GameCube titles, I was interested in games for the DS and Wii such as New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Galaxy, and more._

**What's your favorite Mario game of all-time including spinoffs? / What's your favorite game in general?  
**_My favorite Mario game is Super Mario Odyssey. (Galaxy is a very close second.) Breath of the Wild is another fantastic game in general, too. I'm excited for the sequel!_

**Out of all the Mario Kart games, which one would you say is your favorite overall?  
**_My personal favorite is Double Dash! It was the first Mario Kart title I played and grew up with, and it was the series that got me to practice a lot that I became good at it._

**Since you love Mario Kart, what's your personal favorite track out of all of them?  
**_This one was tough to answer, but I'd say my #1 favorite is Coconut Mall from Mario Kart Wii._

**What's your least favorite/most hated course in Mario Kart?  
**_The dishonorable award goes to Broken Pier from Super Circuit because it's the one course I always struggled with when playing Grand Prix. (Because of these questions, I have done a few edits on my lists for favorite and least favorite tracks. There wasn't much rearranging, but nonetheless...)_

**Who is your favorite Boss Ghost of Luigi's Mansion 3?  
**_Morty, because he has unique dialogue and he's pretty much the only amiable ghost in the game. Ironically, this is coming from someone who betrayed him and sucked him up without letting him finish his movie... Oops._

_Hellen and Kruller are some honorable mentions. Frankly, I hope either one or all of them appear in future Mario games._

**Out of all the floors in LM3, which one is your least favorite?  
**_Hands down, the Boilerworks. There's no debate. And the fact that you have to explore that area **twice** made me want to die on the inside. Even one of my best friends loathed that level with a passion._

**What do you think is the best Luigi's Mansion game?  
**_I would give LM3 the edge here. I love how Nintendo and Next Level made all the characters expressive, most notably Luigi, Mario, King Boo, and Polterpup. They combined certain elements from the previous entries which makes it satisfying. I finished the story mode in about twenty hours, so it was pretty solid. I kind of wished it had more replay value, but it was worth the experience. (The original is just as good though.)_

**How do you feel about the Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi games?  
**_Buckle up, because I'm going to explain my complicated passion for the series and the games. (It'll be very long.) As a side note, I played the M&L series in order, but Paper Mario was not chronological._

_Paper Mario 64__\- It was the fourth PM title I played since I never owned an N64, but it's my second-favorite overall. I think Chapter 3 was the best in my opinion.  
__The Thousand-Year Door__\- First game I've played of the series. I thought it was a nearly flawless masterpiece. Chapters 3 and 6 are my favorites.  
__Super Paper Mario__\- I understand why people hated the game due to the lack of RPG elements and an overworld hub of the game. But the dialogue is just as good, Mr. L was a surprise, and the story has the deepest plot out of all of them. I enjoyed it.  
__Sticker Star__\- Not gonna lie, I didn't mind the game at all when I initially played it. Only in 2014 did I realize how bland the characters, dialogue, and setup was throughout the whole thing and why so many people despised it.  
__Color Splash__\- I was able to play it a few months ago, and it's better than SS with decent dialogue. But yeah, it's kind of a rehash that not even the color can revive the series as of today.  
__Superstar Saga__\- I loved this game to death. Great music, nice battle themes, interesting characters and villains, funny expressions. But I never bothered buying the 3DS remake.  
__Partners in Time__\- Hearing the babies cry can be irritating, but I enjoyed the puzzles and battle techniques with the adult and infant brothers combined. Very underrated game, in my opinion.  
__Bowser's Inside Story__\- If I never played this, Superstar Saga would be my favorite of the series. Having Bowser as a protagonist while being unaware of Mario and Luigi's roles added a lot of depth to the story and the gameplay, especially the Giant Bowser battles. Starlow can screw off though. I also didn't care about the 3DS version.  
__Dream Team__\- I'm a fan of Luigi, but bias aside, this one was decent; just not fantastic. The transition to 3D took a while for me to handle, and some of Pi'illo challenges were lackluster or tedious. It still has some charm and interesting concepts with Dreamy Luigi, especially Dream's Deep. 'Never Let Up!' is my favorite boss theme of the series. The Giant Luigi battles were either okay or meh. I still hate Starlow.  
__Paper Jam__\- Sadly, it's a disappointment for a crossover that no one anticipated in the first place. Very cookie-cutter, the objective and story are as basic as you expect, bosses are not unique, the Paper Toads can go shred themselves, not much else stands out. Starlow acknowledged the Year of Luigi, but that's not enough for me to change my mind about her._

_Finally, I was shocked to hear that AlphaDream filed for bankruptcy a few months ago. I'll never forget how memorable the M&L series was when I got to play the earlier titles. The first two Paper Mario titles were exceptionally beautiful in their own ways while SPM was respectable in my books. I can only hope that things can turn around for the better._

**Which Sonic character do you think should be next in getting their own spinoff game and why?  
**_Besides the ones who already have at least one spinoff title, maybe the most deserving would be Amy. She's been a main staple in the Sonic cast, and I think she seems a lot more mature since the Sonic Boom series. Amy is still herself whenever she pines for Sonic, but she doesn't frequently express it in an immature and annoying way like usual. She seems capable to take on a lead role._

**What would Savage and Raff from Revengeful Resistance look like as humans? What real-world names should they have instead of their current ones?  
**_I've seen a few stories where some anthropomorphic characters are transformed into humans and vice versa. To answer your question though, Savage's eyes would be the same, and he'd wear glasses, too. He'd probably be under 6 feet tall, have a blonde mohawk, and wear T-shirts, shorts, and the sneakers I described in his debut. However, I'd probably change his name to Cole (despite using that name for a minor character.) Raff's name would change to Ralph because of how close it sounds. He'd be about 4 ½ feet tall with short, dark brown hair, a sweater, jeans, and his own sneakers._

_And that's all the questions! Special thanks to Crystal Rose of Pollux, The Sensational SpiderDom321, Infinite's Ruby, SharpDragonKlaw, Oderus, TAWOGfan2000, XIII Hearts, FireFlamerx9z, dbot, TurquoiseTriangle, IanAlphaAxel, The Disney Critic Gal, Golden Eye, TheWriter946, Q, and Guest for participating! Here's to 2020 and another year of writing! This is TGN, signing off._


	8. Ch 7: Give Them the Slip

_A/N:__ Happy (very late) New Year, everyone! Once again, I want to thank everyone for the support and their reviews since the last update! December was amazing as there were over 6,000 views that month, and Hotel Horror is now over **13,000 hits**, **60+ favorites** and **followers** respectively, and nearly 100 reviews! You guys are the best!_

_I hope everyone's questions were fully answered so you know more about my history with Mario games and other random stuff. Best of all, I don't feel sick anymore, and I'm able to use Microsoft Word on my new laptop so I can go back to writing!_

_Next, I want to thank Cliffhang, JPLover764, FrenchMarioBros, FierySpyro, Zachgoertz, Pyrowriter16, jane grove, Marioman101, 652306, Majestic Yo-kai Fauntleroy, and rebelhunter7191 for the favorites and follows. Shoutouts also go to Verran, XIII Hearts, LightDusk16, TAWOGfan2000, Infinite's Ruby, Golden Eye, Ultimatejoseph135, Q, animegamefanatic, Oderus, Tiger of Darkness, Guest, and Alex Wells for their reviews. Now back to the story!_

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_Disclaimer:__ I don't own the Luigi's Mansion series or the Mario characters. Please refrain from reading unless you don't mind spoilers._

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**Chapter 7:** Give Them the Slip

_Location: 3F – Hotel Shops_

The elevator dial rose to the fifth tick mark from the left, approaching the third floor of The Last Resort. Sneaking a peek at the layout, Daisy noticed that they were going to explore a mall, to which she was excited about.

"Hmm... I wonder if I can get a new dress to replace the one that's been torn."

"You mean you haven't packed any extras in your luggage?" asked Luigi.

"It was a vacation I prepared for. My dress was only for the so-called meeting I was supposed to attend. But look how _that_ turned out."

"Touché. Unlike me, I actually packed another pair of my shirt and overalls."

"I swear, you and Mario need to be more selective with your attire," Daisy mocked.

"Well, lately we got to use our new tennis attire. It was short-lived for me when I was entranced by Lucien. And Mario technically got to try out some new outfits when he and Cappy went around the world and shopped at the kingdoms. I remember he had to wear specific clothes to access special places."

"Yeah, I think I recall him mentioning that a while ago. Ooh, we're getting closer to the shops! I can't wait!"

Luigi could easily sense Daisy's enthusiasm, same as Colombo who was panting beside him. For him, he took a deep breath and held his flashlight tightly with both hands. As the bell rang, the doors flew open for the three to walk into the lobby. To their right was a map and the entrance to the Hotel Shops. Daisy headed there first and pulled on the handle. To her disappointment, the door was locked.

"Drat! I was so eager to head in there."

"I guess we have to find a key," Luigi assumed.

Colombo barked at them when he ran over to the other hallway where the bathrooms were located. The women's lavatory was blocked by a stanchion barrier. On the door was a sign that indicated that the toilets were dysfunctional. Because of this, Colombo headed through the men's room instead. Luigi was about to enter as well until he saw Daisy stop behind.

"Hey, it's the _men's_ bathroom. I don't want to go in there."

"Daisy, I doubt there's anyone inside. The worst thing is a ghost that'll make me pee my pants."

"I'm just asking, you wouldn't go into the ladies' room, would you?"

"No. But that didn't stop Mario when he went into Merlee's Mansion."

"Hmm... Now that I think about it, Peach did mention that he had to go with her to avoid some ugly-looking spider, right?"

"A person that turned into a disgusting spider," Luigi corrected while shivering. "At least you didn't have to face a large one that's been possessed."

"Alright, you know what? I'll go in with you. What's the harm?"

Once they got inside, they found two stalls and a sink. One of the doors was open, and Colombo was sitting on the toilet seat, sniffing the water.

"Colombo, don't you think about it!" Luigi yelled.

"Hey, Luigi? Do you hear rushing water?"

"Hmm?" he put a hand behind his ear. "I think you're right. I do hear something from the other bathroom."

"There's a vent in the wall. Do you think you can use Gooigi to slip through?"

"It's worth a shot."

Luigi fired a plunger and pulled on it to break the vent cover. Taking Gooigi out of the Poltergust, his conscience was transferred to him. Daisy had to admit, she thought it was cute, yet a bit funny, to see Luigi dozing while standing up. Meanwhile, Gooigi squished through the wall drain and reached the women's bathroom.

So much for _not_ going in there.

Although he didn't express anything, he was shocked to see a gushing stream of water flowing from one of the stalls. Not only that, he saw a golden glow underneath the furthest cubicle. Gooigi pressed a corresponding button on the Poltergust twice so that Luigi can return to his own body. Simultaneously, the duplicate was brought back into the G-00's container.

"What did you find?" wondered Daisy.

"There's an overflowing toilet with a key inside the stall. I can't jump or walk across the water though."

"I see. Quite the dilemma."

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo yipped, noticing something odd. He spotted a reflection of a grate on the bathroom floor. But it wasn't there in plain sight.

"I think Colombo's onto something. Maybe the grate needs to be revealed by the Dark-Light Device," Daisy believed.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Hey, the 5000 should still have its own. You can practice with it as well. But that one has an energy gauge, so you can only use it for a while before it burns out."

"I see. Let's try it out!"

Daisy shined the ultraviolet light down on the spot where the grating should be. After some Spirit Balls popped out, she quickly sucked them inside her Poltergust to fully reveal it.

"Awesome! I wonder what's down there."

"Looks like I'll need Gooigi again."

The gooey plumber was ejected out of the tank and slipped through the metal space. Colombo joined him by going through the tiled floor. Together, they searched through the underground plumbing section. Avoiding the creepy spiders and cobwebs, Colombo saw the water falling from the grating of the women's room. On the wall behind him was a valve. He grabbed Gooigi's attention, showing that he needed to blow on the wheel.

**"Maybe this will stop the toilet from overflowing,"** said Gooigi.

He pushed the handle to spin the valve counterclockwise. After locking in place, the water from the toilet drained completely.

**"Nice! Now let's go back up and get to the other side."**

As Luigi gained consciousness, he discharged Gooigi out of the G-00 once again. He revisited the ladies' lavatory and reached the second stall which contained a golden key on top of the seat. Gooigi stuck it inside his gooey body for easy storage. Once he returned into the men's bathroom, the key fell out of Gooigi as he was stored inside the tank.

"That's a lot of back-and-forth action between you and Gooigi. Nonetheless, he seems pretty handy!" Daisy smiled as she grabbed the key.

"I'm really starting to figure out how to control him, too! Now let's go to the mall."

This time, Daisy was ahead of everyone as she inserted the key into the hole. After watching it disappear, the walls split apart to reveal a revolving door. Pushing the partition, she made her way to the other side. When it was Luigi's turn, the door somehow spun around quickly, causing him to be stuck for a few seconds before falling flat on his face.

"Oh! Are you okay, Luigi?" she pulled him off the floor.

"Ah... Mamma Mia," he moaned as stars spun around his head. Colombo couldn't help but bark happily at his dizzy face.

Just then, they heard something move on the upper floor of the mall. Luigi glanced over and saw someone floating near the escalators. Panicking, he held a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from screaming. He quickly pulled Daisy against the outer wall of the Boutique, hoping that the strange entity won't catch them.

Searching the second level was a portly ghost wearing a police officer's uniform and holding a flashlight in his left hand. From the name tag pinned onto his pocket, his name was Officer Kruller. He was the security guard who looked over the shops to make sure all of them were closed. Kruller was also responsible to make sure there weren't any intruders sneaking inside to steal anything. But more importantly, Hellen made him aware that Luigi was still alive in the hotel, and he could be anywhere, including the Hotel Shops – exactly where the ghost hunter was hiding right now.

"What's wrong, Luigi?" asked Daisy.

"Shh!"

"Arf!" Colombo ignored the message.

"Huh?! I-I heard someone! Who's there?!" the cop jumped as he looked around.

Luigi narrowed his eyes at the Polterpup and covered his mouth so he wouldn't bark loudly again. As they remained quiet and hidden, Kruller started talking to himself.

"Ugh, I'm probably imagining things. Either way, everything's clear here. The Gift Shop is secured, and I already checked the lower levels. No sign of any burglars. Still, I always have this inkling that someone is going to jump out of nowhere and cause a disturbance! The last time that happened, I wanted to get a snack from the fridge and some Golden Goob made me spill my coffee everywhere! And mice... _Oh_, I loathe mice so much. I almost lost the elevator button because of those dirty rodents!" Kruller shuddered as he jingled his keychain.

Luigi and Daisy gazed at each other with wide eyes. Colombo had to refrain from yapping.

"Not only that, why do I have to look after the place for the midnight shift?! I don't see the point, especially since there's no one in the hotel. Well, except for that Luigi guy Hellen talked about. I highly doubt he'd be here- YIPE!" he juggled the flashlight after losing his grip. "What was that?!"

Kruller heard a clanking sound of metal near his office. He leaned against the wall, shaking his flashlight nervously.

"H-Hello? Anyone there? Man, I wish I wasn't the only officer here. I would kill to call Code Eight for some backup. The disadvantages of being the only cop around here..."

The mall cop noticed something odd about the vending machine. Trying to regain his composure, he floated down the hall as the sound got louder. Worst case scenario, a Goob or some other ghost was trying to buy a snack.

"I may not have a firearm, but I have a flashlight! I know how to use this thing, so show yourself!"

Kruller shined the light over the machine's take-out port. As he got closer to inspect, a mouse popped out.

"YEEK!" he leaned back. The mouse lingered for a few seconds before running away. Kruller took off his hat for a moment, wiping his forehead. "Phew, it's okay. That mouse wasn't so scary. At least he didn't steal the button. Now that my work is done, I should go for a Code Seven, but at night."

Kruller eagerly squeezed through the locked door of his office. He had trouble getting his entire body past the wall. However, once he got in, a red diamond key flew off of his chain.

Meanwhile, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo took a moment to finally breathe. They made their way in front of the escalators.

"Is the coast clear?" the princess checked.

"I think so," Luigi nodded. "If I heard correctly, that policeman should be in his office."

"And did you hear what he said? He's got to have the next elevator button for our adventure!"

"Ruff!" Colombo made his way up. Since the escalators weren't moving, they had to treat them like stairs.

In his experience, the man in green has never loitered in a mall or any sort of building after closing time. The experience of sneaking around without getting caught was too daring and risky that he couldn't last thirty seconds without feeling his stomach drop. Every time he tried to stay quiet, something comes to a head, and Luigi was always in the middle of a scary situation. Adding ghosts to the equation only made things more stressful. He wished he didn't have to deal with it, but at this point, he didn't have a choice.

Colombo reached the office door first and sniffed at the glowing key. He picked it up with his mouth and carried it over to the ghostbusters.

"Hmm, I guess that cop dropped this by accident. I don't think he's nearby."

"Actually, he's sitting in there," Daisy pointed through the window. Luigi peered beneath the blinds and noticed Kruller reading a book while tossing the elevator button in his other hand.

"I don't think he's going to come out of there willingly. And it makes no sense to get his attention. I think we need to simply confront him and get that button."

Luigi took the key from Colombo and placed it inside the lock. After twisting it, he found out that it didn't turn properly.

"Huh, usually the key always disappears. Why didn't it work?"

"I think it's because of the shape of that key. See? It has a diamond on it. This lock is a star. Looks like we'll need a star-shaped key to break in there."

He sighed after realizing Daisy's point. "Either I'm bad at solving puzzles, or I'm just dumb."

"Maybe this key could be useful for something else. In fact, I noticed how some of the shops have some symbols outside. We could investigate there."

Luigi and Colombo agreed as the trio strolled back from where they were. Once they reached the Gift Shop, Luigi spotted a spade next to the gated door. To his left was the coffee shop and the Accessories shop. That's where he saw the diamond on the wall.

"Daisy, your hunch might be right. This key should be used for something in the right location."

"But we can't go inside. The security gate doesn't have a keyhole."

That's when E. Gadd coincidentally buzzed in on the Virtual Boo. "Luigi! Don't forget about Gooigi! He can be used to fit through tight spaces, including that gate!"

"That's another brain fart from me. Thanks, Professor."

"Anytime, boy! Just don't get arrested for breaking and entering! Hohoho!"

"I guess I'll supervise from out here. At least Colombo can assist you inside," said Daisy.

"Ruff!" the Polterpup jumped into the store.

Luigi nodded before he called out Gooigi. He squished through the metal barrier and examined the layout. Multiple glass displays featured fascinating jewels, bracelets, and necklaces. There was also a shelf full of hats on the right side. In the back-left corner, there was a cash register with a diamond-shaped lock.

**"Ah, now I see what I have to do!"** Gooigi exclaimed.

"What's that?" Daisy heard him talk.

"This key is for the register! I don't know what good this would do, but I might as well check."

"Sounds like a plan! Just don't steal the money inside, or that ghost cop will think you're a professional robber!"

Since Gooigi didn't have pupils, he wasn't able to roll his eyes. Nevertheless, he walked over to the register and inserted the key. After disappearing, the drawer opened up, revealing a new key with a red heart. However, a Goob also came out of the register and attempted to scare the gooey man.

**_"Oh, boy... Just don't move. Pretend that you are dead inside..."_** Gooigi metaphorically held his breath.

The Goob was a little confused that he didn't budge an inch. He tried to spook him again.

"Boooo! Huh?" Even when that didn't work, the Goob poked Gooigi's nose, amusing himself before he got bored. He turned around and spotted the heart key. Chuckling to himself, he decided to steal it. Colombo noticed this and tried to beat him, but it was too late as he fell forward, knocking off the suitcases in the middle of the store.

"Luigi! You have to get that key back!" Daisy told him.

**"Right!"**

The Goob disappeared, taunting him with his laughter. A paranormal gate blocked Gooigi from leaving the store. Seconds later, Colombo spotted something moving near the hats, assuming it was the Goob. His suspicion was correct when he barked loudly. The Goob was slightly frightened as a few hats fell off the shelf. Gooigi was able to stun him with the Strobulb. He grabbed him by the tail, draining his health with the Poltergust. Desperate, the blue ghost called for backup, summoning another ghost from the first mansion.

It was a Purple Puncher, raising their fist in the air.

"Watch out!" Daisy shrilled, keeping her voice low so Kruller wouldn't hear her from his office.

Gooigi tried to dodge the Purple Puncher while fighting the Goob. Unfortunately, the spirit managed to wallop his chest, knocking him down as he lost control. Colombo retaliated by leaping and pouncing him onto the floor. As Gooigi recovered, he was able to flash the Purple Puncher and sucked him into the G-00.

The Goob was lingering in the shop, and he picked up one of the suitcases. He tossed the heavy object at Gooigi, but Colombo was there to shove him out of the way. After thanking him, he waited for the right moment to fool the cocky apparition. He got his chance when the Goob decided to stick his tongue at him. Smirking on the inside, Gooigi stunned him and continuously slammed him. Albeit, he accidentally broke one of the glass cases. Yet somehow, there weren't any alarms going off, which was a huge break for them. Additionally, the heart key flew onto the table, allowing the plumber to pick it up and stuff it inside his chest.

"Good job! So what does this key look like?"

Luigi's body was still dozing, so Gooigi responded to Daisy's question. **"It's got a heart right here. Do you remember seeing that suit on one of the stores?"**

"Now that you mention it, I remember we hid near the Boutique, and I spotted a heart on the wall."

**"Okay! Let's head down to the lower level then."**

"Wait! What about your real body?"

**"Honestly, I'll just leave myself here for now until I need it back. Besides, I can't go into the stores unless I control Gooigi."**

"I guess you have a point. Let's just hope a ghost won't attack your real self."

Even as the fully green doppelganger, his gooey form vibrated as if he shivered in fear. Nevertheless, Luigi decided to leave his own body near the Accessories shop and headed downstairs to reach the Boutique. Slipping through the bars, he saw several dresses on display and on the rack to the far right. A few shelves and tables featured cleanly folded stacks of dress shirts. The only thing that mattered, however, was the register. Placing the heart-shaped piece in the slot, a new key with a purple spade came out of the drawer. But to Gooigi's surprise, it magically floated in the air for a short while. Before he could react, the key disappeared through the back wall.

**"Daisy, did you see that?"**

"I did," she replied from beyond the gated door. "Not only that, there's a blinking light on the wall. I just noticed that after the register fell off."

**"Oh, you're right. I wonder what this does."**

After charging the Strobulb, the back display started moving. When the mannequins were gone, there was a secret storage area filled with a humongous pile of gold coins!

"Whoa! You hit the jackpot, Luigi!"

"Ruff!" Even Colombo was astonished at the fat stacks.

**"Yeah, but where's the key?"**

"Maybe it's hidden in the treasure," Daisy guessed.

Gooigi pulled back on the handle to suck up the money in his vacuum. However, he was distracted from the coin collecting that he didn't notice a mini version of a Goob appearing out of a treasure chest. The tiny ghost made a noise to call some reinforcements. Daisy was the first to notice as she saw seven more Mini Goobs and a pair of Purple Punchers.

"Luigi! Look up!"

**"Huh? Oh, God!"** he realized the ambush too late.

The Punchers left a few blows on his face. The Mini Goobs laughed and went straight to devouring his body, like a thirsty gang of Nematodes drinking the juice out of a pineapple.

**"Aack! Get off of me!"**

His Polterpup, sadly, didn't do much as the sight of the Mini Goobs only made him hungry. Since he didn't have a Gold Bone with him, he joined the party and licked Gooigi's boots. He couldn't resist the taste of E. Gadd's coffee.

**"Colombo! You're not helping!"**

The spectral pooch regained his focus and jumped at the Purple Punchers. Meanwhile, Gooigi did a Burst to disperse the Mini Goobs off of him. Thankfully, they weren't a major hassle as he simply flashed the small ghosts and caught them in a few seconds. He still had the Purple Punchers to deal with, but Colombo was able to bite one of their arms and slammed them into the other ghost. Gooigi finished the fight by trapping them in the vacuum. The spade key flew out of the hose as the lights came back on.

**"Phew... Another close call,"** Gooigi scratched the back of his head.

"Not gonna lie, as I was watching that fight, I thought the mini ghosts looked cute," Daisy commented.

**"They _weren't_ cute when they started eating me like gelato!"**

"Don't you mean gelatin?"

**"Let's be honest. Which one would you rather have?"**

"Again, touché. Oh, wait! Do you think you can get me one of the blouses on that table? Specifically, that orange one."

**"You're going to force me to steal it?"**

"No, I can take some money out of the Poltergust. You can just put it on the counter or something," she reached her arm through the open space.

Gooigi sighed and took the coins from her. Afterward, he grabbed what she desired and handed it to her.

"Thanks, Luigi! I can't wait to try this on!"

**"Can't you wait until we save Mario and the others? Or at least until we get the elevator button?"**

"Alright, whatever you say."

The three returned upstairs to the Gift Shop. Gooigi and Colombo approached the register that was centered on the back table. Suddenly, several Spirit Balls came out of nowhere and caused the machine to vanish.

"Hmm... I expected another ghost to emerge, but this is different," Daisy folded her arms.

**"At least it's not a huge deal. I can use the Dark-Light Device."**

Revealing the register and sucking up the Spirit Balls was too simple for Gooigi that it felt like the disappearing illusion was extraneous. Nevertheless, he placed the spade into the lock and received yet another key; this one had a purple club. Then, before Gooigi could exit, Colombo saw a pair of sunglasses floating in midair. Curious, he sniffed near the oddity only to be spooked by a Greenie. The Polterpup barked and ran over to Gooigi.

**"Oh, great. These guys think they're so cool by wearing shades."**

"Teach those jerks a lesson then!" Daisy cheered.

Gooigi used the suction power to pull the glasses away. He knew from his adventures in Evershade Valley that flashing them would only reflect the light off the lenses. As the shades broke into two pieces, the Greenie was easy to stun with the Strobulb. Luigi got a hold of his tail and slammed him into the ground. Carelessly, he ended up breaking one of the tables.

**"Uh... Oops."**

He pushed his mistake aside when another group of Mini Goobs materialized in the store. Another Greenie and a regular Goob joined the horde while wearing their own shades. As Gooigi easily sucked up the smaller spirits, he had a tough time dodging the others while trying to draw the sunglasses off their faces. The ghosts were relentless as they threw some of the merchandise at him. Hats, mugs, plush toys, and slippers were thrown all over the place, creating a messy disaster. Daisy was shocked to see the chaos ensuing inside the store.

"Come on, Luigi! You got this!"

Colombo managed to swipe the Greenie's glasses and spit them out at the Goob. His aim was right on the money as the blue ghost lost his own shades. Once again, the Polterpup did his pouncing technique to pin the apparition onto the floor. Gooigi was able to stun the Greenie and slam him into the Goob. Once they were trapped in the G-00, the lights flickered on.

"You know, I'm a little jealous that I can't be a part of the show for now," Daisy pouted.

**"I'm sure that there's something you can do,"** Gooigi tried to cheer her up. **"Let's go down to the barbershop. It should be the last one since we still can't find the star key."**

After Gooigi exited the Gift Shop, everyone heard a mechanical sound. To their surprise, the escalators were running.

"You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

**"No... And I suspect you didn't cause them to work again?"**

She shook her head. "This is the one time I'm a little uncomfortable inside a mall. At least every other one I've been to wasn't haunted!"

Despite chills rushing through their bodies, Gooigi, Daisy, and Colombo reached the barber's. There was a glaring difference compared to the other stores. The metal door was completely solid. There weren't any openings for Gooigi to squish through.

**"How am I going to get inside this time? There has to be a way."**

Daisy observed the wall for clues or anything out of the ordinary. Above the door was a giant pair of scissors with two clubs as decorations. The one on the right was slightly moving that she almost overlooked that detail.

"Hey, Luigi, do you think those clubs can be spun with our vacuums?"

**"Um... It's possible. Why do you ask?"**

"Maybe something will happen if we turn both of them at the same time. It could open up the door."

**"That sounds plausible. Let's do it!"**

Gooigi went over to the left while Daisy took care of the right side. They both aimed their hoses and blew air to spin them clockwise. The simultaneous action caused the scissors to rotate as well. Once the blades were facing down, they split apart which opened the doorway.

**"Nice job, Daisy! I wouldn't have thought of that!"**

"Thanks! I think I'm pretty good at this puzzle-solving!" she felt proud. "Well, you know what to do."

Gooigi gave her a thumbs-up and passed through the slim, horizontal bars. As Colombo joined him, he was surprised to see some scissors floating around before they immediately fell to the floor. Meanwhile, Gooigi was having trouble finding the register. Although it took a while, Colombo jumped up on the back counter and spotted a dark spot next to the sink. Curious, he got Gooigi to shine the Dark-Light at the empty space, revealing the register entirely.

**"Good find, Colombo! Now let's see what's inside!"**

He turned the spade key into the slot. Just as he hoped for, a new key with a yellow star dropped out of the drawer.

**"Finally! That was quite a fetch quest for the key we needed! Now we can get into the office!"**

Even better, he didn't have to face any ghosts that time. Or, so he thought...

Gooigi and Colombo rejoined Daisy outside, but none of them expected the paranormal activity occurring on the second level. A red, transparent hand turned on a sprinkler, causing the water to spray over the plants and even onto the lower level. Gooigi instantly melted from the liquid while Colombo and Daisy jumped back to avoid getting drenched. The star key also fell out.

"Hey! What's with the rainfall?" she looked up. "Luigi, are you still up there?"

The green plumber woke up with his mind back in his own body and the Goo transported into the glass container. He hurried downstairs to rejoin his friends. "To answer your question, I was. Is everything alright with you two?"

"I'm fine, although I think my shirt got a little soaked," Daisy complained. Colombo shook his body to get rid of the droplets. "If there's anything positive, the key is still there."

Luigi went over to the puddle and grabbed it, despite the water pouring onto his hat. He glanced up at the sprinkler. "I think someone is playing a trick on us. I doubt it's the police officer though."

"Who do you think could've done that?"

"I have no idea. Hopefully, that won't matter. We need to get that elevator button!"

Luigi hastened his way up the moving stairway, and Daisy was about to follow him until it started to malfunction.

"What was that?" she was apprehensive.

"I don't know..."

He suddenly realized the escalators were speeding up. Luigi tried to outrun the pace, but he ended up falling face first, sliding down to the bottom.

"OW!"

"Luigi! Oh, man, that's gotta hurt," she cringed while helping him up.

"You think?! What the hell happened?"

That's when they heard some grumbling from the higher level. Daisy and Luigi turned their flashlights to the top. Colombo reversed, hiding behind his owner's legs. The trio shuddered as their hearts pounded as loud as the growls. Soon after, a pair of red, brawny arms emerged from the escalator.

Luigi felt like his body froze entirely. It wasn't the same as a police officer aiming the barrel of a gun at his forehead. Nonetheless, he was frightened for his life.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

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_I know I'm alternating Luigi and Gooigi's names in the story, but just know I'll use the latter whenever Luigi is controlling him with his mind, per E. Gadd. For Daisy, she's usually going to say Luigi's name. Unless someone can think of a better way to differentiate these characters, I'm going to stick to this. And if I made errors, just let me know and I'll fix them._

_In the game, the key was in the men's room, and a purple gem can be collected from a puzzle using Gooigi. But in this situation, I had the key in the women's room so Luigi can practice with his gooey clone. Also, I'll be splitting the Hotel Shops into two parts. This could happen occasionally while some floors will stand out in only one chapter, sort of like Luigi's second visit to the RIP Suites._

_There's some other stuff that can be found, but I'll let you discover them yourself since I'm discontinuing the PCNs. Either way, thanks for reading! Be sure to review your thoughts below and follow/favorite the fanfic for new updates! Until then, I'll see you all in Ch. 8 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	9. Ch 8: Officer Kruller: Mall Spirit

_A/N:__ I'm back with another chapter! I want to thank SleepingBeautyRocks for the favorite as well as Verran, Infinite's Ruby, Oderus, animegamefanatic, Q, Tiger of Darkness, Golden Eye, Alex Wells, MarioFan88, Jaime64games, Bayoboo, and Ultimatejoseph135 for their comments. We're now over **100 reviews**! I appreciate the support as always! Now let's head into Part 2 of the Hotel Shops!_

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_Disclaimer:__ Nintendo owns the rights to Luigi's Mansion as well as the Mario characters and franchise. I only take credit for this rewrite. Unless you don't like spoilers, read at your own risk._

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**Chapter 8:** Officer Kruller: Mall Spirit

"Mario and his friends took the Space Byway and merged into the Whoa Zone," Kruller read his book out loud. "Known to some as the Space Graveyard, it was said to consume all who entered it. _'Just a little bit longer... We'll be arriving soon,_' said young Squirps. With his unblinking eyes glimmering, Squirps continued to forge onward. Will Mario and his friends get their hands on the Pure Heart at long last?"

The police ghost paused for a second. He placed the elevator button on his desk and reached over to grab a snack. It was none other than a cruller.

"Mmm, glazed... Reading always makes me hungry, and this book is by far the best I've read so far! Although, the story and characters do sound familiar to me..." He scarfed down more of his donut. "Oh, if only I had some milk to wash it down."

Instead, Kruller ended up getting some water from his cooler behind. He swiveled around and poured himself a cup. Although he was directly next to the security cameras, which captured every single angle in the mall, he didn't recognize Luigi and his friends breaking into the stores. At the moment, the plumber was buckling from a strange source coming from the top of the escalators.

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As the beefy hands gripped the moving balustrades, a new ghost emerged from inside the escalator and appeared on the upper level. He glared down at the ghost-hunting trio. The massive, red ghost was known as a Hammer. His body was built like a Whomp, determined to crush things that stood in his way.

"Goodness gracious..." Luigi's voice scratched a little. "They look like the Slammer's younger brother, except they're more massive and buffer!"

"He's coming down towards us! We're gonna have to fight this guy if we want to get back up to the Security Office!" Daisy grabbed her flashlight.

With the escalators still malfunctioning and a pair of paranormal gates blocking the exit, Luigi cautiously backed away until he was near a cleaning cart. The Hammer floated near the bottom and grunted for a second. He instantly charged towards Luigi, blocking his face with his hand. The plumber thought he could stun him with the Strobulb, but the ghost ended up – no pun intended – hammering him. It truly felt like he was getting slammed down by a Whomp.

"Augh! How much does this ghost weigh?!"

"Never mind that! We have to daze him!"

Daisy used her Strobulb and tried to flash the Hammer. Although he did react to the light, Daisy had trouble getting him into the hose. When she was unsuccessful, the Hammer raged as he attempted to hurt the princess. Since Luigi was still recovering on the floor, Colombo propelled her aside to avoid the red-headed ghoul.

"Phew! Compared to what could've been, I'm glad you pushed me away."

"Arf!"

Luigi was finally able to stand up. "Ugh, how are we supposed to defeat him?"

E. Gadd rang in through the Virtual Boo. "That ghost is quite a large one. I don't think you can reach his tail when you're facing his... erm, face. You're going to have to stun him first, then move around him. Or, one of you can stun him from the front and the other can sneak behind. That way, you'll flip him out like a reverse card! Ho ho!"

"Sounds like a plan. Daisy! I'll hit him with the Strobulb! You go for the tail!"

"Gotcha!"

The Hammer banged his chest like an angry ape who lost his bananas. As he charged towards Luigi a second time, the man waited carefully and did a Burst to avoid being slammed. When the ghost got up, Luigi charged his flashlight at the right time.

"Now!"

Daisy heard the signal and ran over to the Hammer's backside. She got a hold of one of the small tails and dragged her sneakers across the Mall Lobby, struggling to overcome the heavyweight.

"Luigi! I could use a little help here!"

He quickly assisted her by sucking up the other tail. When both of their vacuums were charged, they performed a double slam, just like what they did to Miss Petunia. They went back-and-forth and managed to defeat him in a single tether.

But they weren't done yet.

Another Hammer appeared at the top of the escalators. Additionally, a Slammer from Evershade Valley roared from within the janitor's cart before smashing it with his bare hands. Luigi shrieked so loud that he unintentionally jumped into Daisy's arms. He couldn't stop shaking in fear, but he eventually realized what he had done. He awkwardly glanced at Daisy who gave him a quizzical stare. Colombo's face was neutral even though he tried to hold in a giddy bark.

Luigi got back on his feet and scratched his hair. "S-Sorry."

Daisy couldn't help but smirk. "Even to this day, that's one of the reasons why I always think you're so cute."

The green-clad hero blushed, but he quickly turned his attention to the ghosts after they got angry. Luigi and Daisy agreed to take down the Slammer first since he was the smaller of the two. Colombo was told to distract the Hammer. Once he understood, the Polterpup barked at the blocky ghost to coax him. Thumping his chest, he made a beeline for the dog. Colombo was able to read his movements and hopped away through the paranormal gate. The Hammer ended up crushing a trash can and a bench.

Since it took a while for the bigger ghost to recover, Luigi took his time to wait for the Slammer to slap his hands and create a shockwave. He used a Burst to dodge the attack. A whoosh of thin air whisked near the tip of his mustache. Daisy crept behind before stunning him with the light. The Slammer grunted as he fought to evade the Poltergust 5000's suction power. Ultimately, Daisy won the battle as she drained all of his health with the push of a button.

Once he was captured, the two turned over to the Hammer who punched a fist into his left hand, seeking revenge for the ghosts who were already captured. Colombo ran over and distracted him with a few woofs. The ghost tried attacking the Polterpup, but Luigi wasn't going to let that happen. He frantically flashed the Hammer and ran around to grab his tail. Daisy followed in pursuit as she tugged on the other. With Polterpup barking as a chant, the duo slammed him in various directions before he dissipated into the G-00. As a result, the lights turned on, the gates went away, and the escalators ran at a normal speed.

"Fabulous job, you three!" E. Gadd contacted. "I watched you succeed against those ghosts! They were quite aggressive, am I right?"

"I know from experience that the Slammers are tough. But those Whomp-like ghosts were a lot more intimidating because of their size," Luigi shivered.

"No kidding. He could've crushed us into a flat piece of paper!" Daisy commented.

"Nevertheless, I'm impressed that you took down those apparitions. Including the Slammer, they'll be a big help for my research! Keep up the good work, youngsters. Now go get that elevator button!"

"Right. Thanks, Professor," said Luigi before turning to Daisy. "You know, it would've been difficult for me to catch those ghosts if you weren't by my side. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Luigi!"

"Ruff!"

"Heh, yes, you did a good job, too," the plumber petted Colombo.

"Well then, I guess we can finally unlock the door to the office. You got the key, right?"

"I sure do," Luigi grabbed it from his pocket. He made his way up the escalator with  
Daisy and Colombo behind him. Once they returned to the hallway, he placed the star-shaped key into the lock. After it vanished, Luigi took a moment to breathe.

"The cop hasn't noticed us at all," Daisy squinted through the window. "He's just sitting there, reading his book and eating a donut."

Luigi's stomach growled. "Mamma Mia... This ghost hunt has been so tiresome that I completely forgot that I haven't eaten anything today. I don't even know what time it is!"

"It must be very late at night if all the shops are closed and the moon is still out. Maybe we can find a bite to eat somewhere after we catch that cop! Sounds kind of ironic, doesn't it?"

"A little. Well, here we go," he slowly turned the handle.

Kruller was mesmerized by his book that he didn't hear the office door creaking. "Out of nowhere, a masked man jumped on the alien, startling the heroes behind him. The mysterious man in green lightly chuckled to himself. While the princess and Koopa King checked on poor Squirps, Mario scowled at the intruder. _'Wh-Who are you?!'_ Tippi shuddered. The man turned around to face the heroes of the Light Prognosticus. _'Oh, me? I'm just one of Count Bleck's more promising minions. I'm the Green Thunder, otherwise known as...'_ He paused before he twirled around and made an L-shaped gesture with his arms. _'MR. L!'_ he introduced his identity."

Before he could continue reading, Kruller noticed something moving out of the corner of his eye. For a split second, he froze when he saw Luigi enter inside. Immediately though, he gasped and fell off his chair in fright.

"Officer Kruller!" Daisy read the name tag on his desk. "You're under arrest for possession of that elevator button!"

"Daisy, are you serious?"

"What? I've always wanted to confront a cop like that. It's not like he's going to actually arrest me!"

Kruller peeked over the top of his desk as he glanced at the ghostbusters. His glasses fell off of his face. "Wh-What are you doing here?! How did you get in here?!"

"Simple. You dropped a key outside your door, and we went on a hunt to find the key that lets us into your office," Daisy answered. "Have you not seen the security cameras catching Luigi going into the stores?"

"Daisy!"

Kruller shook his head rapidly before shifting over to the footage. All the stores were vandalized, most notably the Accessories and the Gift Shop.

"Unbelievable! How did you even get into the stores?! That's impossible!" he was livid for a second.

"That doesn't matter! Now give us that button!" Daisy demanded. Her glare made Kruller uncomfortable.

"You d-dare talk b-back at a certified cop like me?" he tried to sound intimidating. "Well, y-you'll never take me alive, even though I should be the one enforcing the law!"

After putting his glasses back on, the cop rolled onto the floor and through the bars to reach the Lost and Found. Kruller searched through an open cardboard box, digging for a weapon. He pulled out a jack-in-the-box and got spooked by the clown that popped from inside. He found a sea urchin toy, but the spikes felt like they punctured the palm of his hand. Then, the officer took out a sniper rifle in the form of a red vacuum. The problem was that it didn't fire a laser. It was a toy model without any ammunition. Just when he was completely desperate, he was delighted to find a water pistol that was hidden under a scrunched-up 'Wanted' poster of Luigi.

"Alright. At least I'm equipped. Don't even bother trying to fight me!" he taunted with a hint of anxiety. "After all, there's no way you can get in here!"

"We beg to differ," Daisy challenged. "You ready, _Gooigi_?"

The plumber gave her a nod before expelling the green substance out of the vacuum. As he stood up in his gooey form, Gooigi gave her a thumbs-up. Colombo, who stood beside him, was prepared as well. Both of them passed through the gated barrier, shocking the policeman.

"Ahh!" Kruller squealed. "So that's how you broke into the stores! I guess it'd be useless if I tried to cuff you."

**"For the record, I really don't like getting in trouble with the law. But I'm only doing this to save my bro and friends!"**

"Be careful, Luigi! You remember what E. Gadd said about Gooigi and water!"

"She's right, my lad!" the professor chimed in through the microphone. "But you shouldn't worry too much if Gooigi melts. You can force him out of the G-00 and try again!"

Colombo started off by trying to be playful around the cop. Despite his happy expression, Kruller was not the fondest towards canines. Not even breeds who were trained in the military or his own department. With Gooigi trying to corner him, the mix of pressure and apprehension building up made him sweat bullets.

Gooigi knew he had to pry the glasses off Kruller's face if he wanted to stun him. He pulled back on the handle to suck the air. But as he got near the cop, Kruller retaliated by pouncing him with his rotund gut. Gooigi felt weak at first, but he slowly regained his health. He tried to remove the glasses a second time while keeping his distance.

"Gah! I... won't... give up!" Kruller struggled against the current.

"Tire him out, Luigi!" Daisy yelled behind the gate.

Kruller raised his water pistol in the air and squirted a few streams of water to hurt Gooigi. But the Luigi clone evaded the drops and purloined his sunglasses. With his fearful eyes revealed, Kruller gasped as Gooigi flashed the Strobulb and started tugging on his tail. Gooigi got the full energy gauge to smash him into various boxes, shelves, and miscellaneous items.

**"Good lord, he was pretty heavy to slam!"** Gooigi wheezed.

Colombo sniffed around to detect the cop's movements. Kruller reluctantly emerged near the back corner, shaking uncontrollably from the attack. He wasn't able to catch his breath when the Polterpup spotted him.

"Eeek! Get away from me!" Kruller ran away.

"You don't have to escape from Colombo. He's a nice puppy! He wouldn't hurt you!" Daisy tried to shed some light.

"I don't believe you! The last time someone said that about their dog, I got bitten! I can't trust them like I can't trust your words!"

**_"His self-consciousness really reminds me of myself when I get constantly worried. I can't help but pity him."_**

Despite his feelings, Gooigi's end goal was to retrieve the button from Kruller. The cop took a spare set of glasses to shield his eyes. Like before, Gooigi attempted to pull them away while Kruller sprayed water in the air. Seconds later, the man in Goo stunned the officer, sucked him in the hose, and slammed him several times.

"Augh! Every slam is more painful than the last! I won't make it easy this time! You better freeze or I'll be forced to shoot you!"

**_"If it was a real gun, I swear I'd be a hundred times more nervous than how I feel now,"_** Gooigi trembled.

Colombo kept jumping around to distract the cop. Temptation got the best of Kruller as he went full blast on the water gun. A powerful stream of water squirted several feet, nearly getting Gooigi in the process. Maneuvering through the Lost and Found without getting sprayed or slipping on puddles made things more difficult for the green plumber. It was also tough to take off another pair of glasses as Kruller rolled around the room.

"I still have a lot of water left in this gun, so I can go all night long!"

**"Really? Because you seemed to have used a lot already,"** assumed Gooigi.

"Don't make me go into maximum overdrive!" His face hardly showed any confidence.

"Is that even a setting for a toy water gun?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, tomboy! You're asking for it!" Kruller aimed at Gooigi and pulled the trigger, but only a few droplets spewed out from the barrel. "Aw, crud..." he gulped.

Gooigi couldn't have asked for an opportune moment like this. Breaking off the glasses again, he went forward and shined the light at Kruller. The cop did all he could to escape, but he screamed in agony as his plump body sluggishly squeezed through the nozzle.

"Oh, have mercy! At least let me finish my novel! I was getting to a crucial part of the story!"

His wish was sadly unfulfilled.

Gooigi trapped the mall cop into the vacuum before the elevator button burst out of the hose. Colombo barked and did a backflip in celebration. As Gooigi grabbed the desired object, he returned to Daisy and his sleeping body before transferring his conscience. When he was reawakened, Luigi grabbed the button off the floor, which had the number '**2**' on it.

"That's another successful boss battle and another elevator button in our hands!" Daisy smirked.

"Whew, I'm glad that's over with. Although, I did feel a bit bad for the guy. He probably didn't mean any harm until I triggered that fight," Luigi frowned a little.

"You had to do what's best," she reassured.

"I guess so."

"Luigi, nicely done on catching that cop!" E. Gadd called him. "You might have a new button with you, but I think you and the others should head down to my lab. I bet you're all pretty exhausted."

"Not gonna lie, I'm both tired and hungry."

"I don't blame you, sonny. After all, I did hear the fact that you haven't gotten a meal since you arrived at the hotel! Luckily, my portable lab has a handy-dandy stove and oven for my personal food concoctions! I'll whip you all something when you get back!"

"That sounds lovely. Thanks, Professor."

"No problem! I'll see you in a bit."

"So, this new button you got actually takes us to the second floor," Daisy noticed. "It looks like we might have to backtrack since that was where you rescued me and E. Gadd."

"That's right. Although, we never got a chance to see what the rest of the floor had to offer. If anything, we have to get a new button that would take us higher."

"Or the fourth floor since we haven't collected that one."

"True," he simply said before his stomach grumbled again. "Okay, I don't think I can wait another second to eat."

"I'm starving, too. Let's hurry to the Basement!"

"Arf!" Colombo was also eager to get some grub. The trio felt accomplished that they were one step closer to saving their friends.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

Hellen Gravely entered her vault to check up on the progress of her hotel staff. She was hoping the ghosts have already captured Luigi at this point. If not, having a lead on his current location was somewhat beneficial. Resting in her desk chair, she gazed at the security monitors that recorded footage on all of the floors.

"Hmm... Nothing suspicious or noticeable on the RIP Suites. Basement is also clear. No sign in the Grand Lobby."

Then, she saw something move on the screen in 3F. Grabbing her remote, Hellen rewound the footage and saw Luigi creeping through the Hotel Shops with his Polterpup. What also caught her attention was the Sarasaland Princess holding a vacuum of her own.

"So, she's joining the cowardly man to search my hotel and capture my members?" she made a dirty scowl. "I honestly can't see that happening."

Unfortunately, the purple woman became enraged when she watched Luigi use a gooey version of himself to sneak through the shops and the Security Office. The icing on the cake was when Gooigi trapped Officer Kruller and took the elevator button from him. Hellen clenched her fingers tightly before slamming a fist onto her chair.

"Despicable! I knew that oversized milksop was too spineless to handle such a simple duty! Ugh!"

She paused to recollect her thoughts and, more importantly, control her temper.

"Calm down, Hellen. You're better than this. Besides, he was one of the weaker links of my main staff. I'm sure the others will give him a hard time. One of them is bound to defeat me so that I, Hellen Gravely, must please King Boo with a Luigi portrait!" her lips formed a grin. "Mwahahaha! I can _picture_ it already!"

* * *

_Location: B1 – Basement_

To think that he had gone through so much anguish in less than a day not only made Luigi worrisome but extremely fatigued, too. He spent yesterday afternoon admiring The Last Resort only to wake up in a hellish nightmare with Mario, Peach, and his other friends trapped in paintings. He nearly died falling down a laundry chute. Then he came across Daisy and E. Gadd. He also spent hours in the dark, cold levels to search for the elevator buttons. The list goes on and on.

And it's already 3 a.m.

That was the exact time Luigi saw on E. Gadd's digital clock once he, Daisy, and Colombo returned to the warm, cozy lab. The professor was fixing up some late-night breakfast for the heroes. The delicious smells made Luigi salivate.

"It's very early for breakfast, but I figured this will do since you haven't eaten for a long while," E. Gadd flipped a few pancakes.

"Anything at this point will be sufficient," said Daisy.

A few minutes later, he was finished. "Alright, fellers. Dig in!"

Luigi and Daisy settled down on an inflatable sofa with some small dining tables that E. Gadd brought out from his nifty compartments. Even in such a confined space, both of them were surprised at how handy the old scientist was! He gave each of them a plate of scrambled eggs, pancakes, hash browns, and English muffins. They also had a piping hot beverage of E. Gadd's world-renowned Starbeans coffee. The professor blended a cup of Hoolumbian for Luigi, a Chuckoccino for Daisy, and a Teeheespresso for himself. E. Gadd also dug into one of his drawers and gave a Gold Bone to Colombo. Everyone dug into their late-night meals, savoring the impressive dishes he whipped up.

"Wow, and I thought the chefs in my kingdom served the best breakfast. But this is up for competition!" Daisy complimented.

"It's a pleasure to hear that from you, Princess!"

"I have to agree; this is really worth it. I'm so hungry that I could finish this in less than ten minutes," mentioned Luigi, enjoying the soft, buttermilk pancakes drenched in syrup.

"Since you've been exploring for several hours, I did cook extra in case you want seconds. Otherwise, I'll save it for leftovers."

"Thanks again, Professor."

"You're welcome! Just make sure you don't eat too fast, or you could accidentally choke!"

The group took their time devouring their food until they were full. By then, Luigi rested a hand over his stomach and yawned loudly.

"Man, I could really go for a _pisolino_."

"A what?" Daisy glanced at him.

"I could go for a nap. A _long_ one, in fact."

"Oh, I see. I'm getting tired, too," she stretched her arms.

"Seems like a smart idea to get some well-deserved sleep. Not only that, I highly doubt the ghosts will show up during the daytime."

"Unless King Boo put a curse on the entire area to make it perpetually dark," Luigi groaned. "It sounds like something he would do to make the setting dim and scary."

"Either way, it seems more logical to hunt the ghosts at night just like today. I know it'll affect your sleep schedule and all, but we'll have to do whatever it takes to stop Hellen and capture King Boo again. If you do plan to rest here, you might have to share the sofa unless one of you doesn't mind sleeping on the lab floor. Personally, I don't want either of you to rest in the parking garage even though there's more space outside."

"Maybe we can rest in my suite," Luigi thought.

"But what about the couch that was blocking the hallway?" reminded Daisy.

"That's when I forgot I could just climb over the stupid thing. Or maybe I can use Gooigi and the Suction Shot to get it out of the way."

"Huh, I never thought about that. That does seem like a good option."

"It probably won't hurt going back up to the RIP Suites. At least we took care of all the ghosts there. If not, most of them."

"Regardless of your decision, I'll be waiting here in the lab when you're ready to resume."

Luigi and Daisy nodded as they gave their empty plates to the professor. Colombo finished eating his bone, and he followed the humans to the elevator where they ascended to 5F.

* * *

When they returned to the RIP Suites and the gargantuan couch, Luigi shot a plunger and pulled back as far as he could. Then, he switched to Gooigi while keeping the Suction Shot tight with his unconscious body. The two plumbers worked together to destroy the large couch, opening up the west corridor. Gooigi returned to the tank shortly after. They reached the end of the hallway where Luigi shined the Dark-Light to reveal his hidden door. The mustached man completely forgot that his suite looked like this before he encountered Hellen and King Boo. Daisy was surprised at the spooky décor.

"You weren't kidding when you said this hotel completely changed when you woke up."

"_Sigh_, it is what it is," Luigi kicked his shoes off and removed the Poltergust off his back, prompting Daisy to copy him.

Colombo was already resting at the foot of the bed near Luigi's suitcase. To make room, the plumber placed it near the desk. Daisy put her new blouse above the luggage so she wouldn't have to hold it for any longer. Soon, the ghost hunters got underneath the blankets and rested their heads on the pillows.

"What a day this has been, am I right?" Daisy tried to start another conversation. "I'm glad I got to know more about collecting ghosts. And even though I couldn't do much in the Hotel Shops, it's great learning from experience."

Luigi didn't reply back, but he nodded in acknowledgment.

"Hey, is something wrong?" she was concerned.

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. I'm just tired."

"I'm guessing that, plus you're still worried about Mario?"

Another sigh escaped his lips. "It's too obvious. Losing him is already a nightmare on its own. I hate repeating myself, and I feel like I'm annoying you."

"That's not true, Weege. I totally understand your dilemma."

"Thanks, Daisy. I'm just grateful that I'm not alone."

"You got me, Colombo, and the professor. By the time we're refreshed, we'll get back to fighting those ghosts and saving the others."

Luigi had to smile at her encouragement. Aside from his older sibling, he couldn't ask for a better partner than Daisy. He quietly thanked the princess, and she responded back with a peck on his cheek. They made themselves comfortable as sleep took over them.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_At the moment, Kruller was the only ghost in the Hotel Shops, but I have someone else to make an appearance there later. You'll see what I mean. Hellen is a bit furious at Luigi's progress, but she's keeping her cool... sort of. And next time on Hotel Horror, our heroes will return to the Mezzanine to discover some new rooms they haven't been to yet. Who will they come across?_

_As always, thanks for reading! You can leave your thoughts down below and tell me if I made any errors. Be sure to follow/favorite the fanfic to catch up on future updates. Until then, I'll see you in the next one! This is TGN, signing off._


	10. Ch 9: Hellen's Kitchen

_A/N:__ After finishing my first exam and spending a great weekend with some friends, I'm back with a new chapter this time. I want to thank The-Black-Forest-Cake-Is-A-Lie, IceDragon64, RisingSonic17, nintendoscript15, and Geo64 for leaving a favorite/follow. I also appreciate Black-Forest-Cake, LightDusk16, Infinite's Ruby, Pikminfan, TAWOGfan2000, SleepingBeautyRocks, animegamefanatic, FireFlamerx9z, Golden Eye, Oderus, Ultimatejoseph135, and Alex Wells for reviewing._

_An important note to mention is that I already have stuff planned for future plot points, meaning I can't take every single request into account. While I appreciate the suggestions, it might be complicated to add new ideas as we get further into the story. If I can find a way to implement them, then I might consider some revisions. I can't guarantee anything though._

_Meanwhile, our ghostbusters took down five major bosses so far. Who will they come across this time? Will they get a new elevator button? And where's the lamb sauce?!_

_Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's get right into it!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I bet you're all getting tired of seeing these, huh? Regardless, I don't own the rights to Mario or Luigi's Mansion._

* * *

**Chapter 9:** Hellen's Kitchen

It was a brand-new day... at night.

Considering how late they stayed up ghost-hunting, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo slept in for nearly twelve hours before getting themselves refreshed. The plumber wore his secondary pair of overalls and green shirt while Daisy stayed in her current outfit since she left her suitcase near the lab. They spent some time with Professor E. Gadd, examining all of the ghosts they've captured so far. Once the sun went down, it was time to get back on track.

Going back to the elevator, Luigi watched the '**2**' button insert itself next to the '**1**'. Although they've technically used the Grand Lobby elevator on the second floor, they suspected a new button was somewhere on that level. Luigi had an inkling it was somewhere east of the Dressing Room and Storage Room since he wasn't able to explore that area. There was only one way to find out.

* * *

_Location: 2F – Mezzanine_

After he got off the elevator, the first thing Luigi did was approach a sign that blocked a door. He got rid of it with a Suction Shot, but he couldn't get through since the door was locked.

"Where are we going to find a key?" he wondered.

"Maybe we should look around the lobby," Daisy suggested.

As they did that, Colombo stayed behind as he smelled something from beyond. He went his own way and hopped through the wall, reaching the hallway on the other side. Conveniently, he was able to find a key in a potted plant. He figured the ghosts might have left it there so it would be impossible for Luigi to explore the east wing. The Polterpup grabbed the key and returned to the lobby, barking at the humans.

"I think Colombo found something!"

Luigi and Daisy hurried up the stairs and were surprised to find a key in his mouth. The plumber took it out and scratched his pet's head.

"Good boy," he praised.

"Arf!" Colombo immediately went back into the hallway as he was curious about what that odor was. Luigi and Daisy didn't waste any time as they followed him.

Several feet away, there was a dining cart blocking a door. Luigi realized that it was the reason why he couldn't access the east half of the Mezzanine. Various tools and food items were scattered on the carpet, including a piece of Emmental cheese that Colombo was sniffing. He happily grabbed it with his mouth and ran off to the room up north.

"The last thing I want Colombo to do is to eat something from the floor. He already dug through trash beforehand," Luigi sighed.

"Come on. Let's follow him," Daisy went after him.

Ignoring the other rooms, they went straight to the golden doors with the insignia of a fork and spoon. Pushing through, they entered the Restaurant with a check-in area and the dining tables to their right. Colombo was waiting nearby the coat rack. Crumbs of cheese were left in front of him as the aroma stunk up the place. But that wasn't the only food that smelled.

"Hmm... Fancy. Even in a haunted hotel, this looks chic," Daisy examined.

"Aww, Colombo. Don't tell me you ate that cheese."

Colombo couldn't help himself, and he replied with an enthusiastic bark. He turned around and went over to the long counter in the back. There was a variety of foods on display, except they weren't fake; everything was baked fresh. Colombo headed over to a basket of warm baguettes. He climbed on top and grabbed one from the pile. The dog went further down, passing a large plate of lobster, assorted fruits, more cheese, and delectable pies.

However, just before he was about to pass through the next wall, he paused when he spotted something to his right. Luigi and Daisy turned to see what he found. To their surprise, someone was sitting at a table in the back corner. It was an obese ghost with purple skin and a red sweater. He was in the middle of a huge buffet – currently devouring a dish of savory barbecue ribs – that he didn't even notice the ghost hunters.

"That's Mr. Luggs!" Luigi whispered.

"Yeesh, he's eating like a pig. He doesn't have any table manners!" Daisy scowled.

Colombo quickly hid underneath a table when he saw a Goob, a Greenie, and two Waiter ghosts carrying some more food to the ravenous ghost.

"More! More, I tell you! I'm not certainly full yet! In fact, I'm never satisfied! Give me every item on the menu, for crying out loud!" Mr. Luggs ordered.

The ghosts placed the dishes down and hurried back to the Kitchen to grab him more stuff. But at this rate, he was going to devour everything in stock. Mr. Luggs was so hungry that he was tempted to gobble up the table itself!

"Do you think we can sneak past him?" murmured Daisy as they tiptoed near the back table.

"Maybe. Just as long as we're quiet that we don't knock over any- OH!"

As soon as Luigi said that, he accidentally pushed a bottle of olive oil with his head. As it started to topple, he panicked and tried to save it from falling. But it slipped away and crashed onto the floor, creating a large spill.

"Crap."

Mr. Luggs was startled when he heard glass breaking. He usually gets ticked whenever people disturbed his feast. Narrowing his small, yellow eyes, he faced the culprit. The large ghost was surprised to see his face again.

"What the heck?! What are you doing here?! Are you trying to bother me from my dinner?!" Barbecue sauce flew off of his dirty lips.

Luigi began to stutter. "No, no, no! I-I was just... I was gonna... You see, I-"

"This is the second time you ruined my sixteen-course meal! All I want is to eat in peace!" he slammed his fists, causing the other plates to bounce. "Yet again, you're disturbing my beautiful moment!"

"Hey, back off, glutton mouth!" Daisy stepped in. "Maybe you should slow your roll because if you're gonna gag, neither of us is gonna give you the Heimlich maneuver!"

"In case you're blind, I'm eating over here! Waiters! I demand assistance!" Mr. Luggs grunted.

Everyone came rushing out to the dining room, wondering why their bloated guest was livid.

"You see those ridiculous goons?! They interrupted my buffet! I want them out of here! Gone! Banished! Whatever! Just get them out of my sight!"

"Pfft! You act like you're a VIP for this resort! At least Luigi was given an invitation as a VIP, _and_ he actually has manners where he doesn't stuff food in his face!"

"Oh, what's gonna happen to me? Am I gonna blow up?" he taunted as he slid a whole burger down his gullet.

"No, it's worse. It's just gonna go right to your thighs. You could blow up, but you're already dead – on the inside and outside," the princess retorted.

"Daisy, can we please just catch them already?" Luigi wanted this awkward confrontation to end.

"Oh, right."

"Get them out of here, I say!" Mr. Luggs insisted.

As the ghosts tried to corner Daisy and Luigi against the table, the lonely Goob grabbed a pie, threatening to smash it into one of their faces. The Greenie took a fresh baguette, swinging it around like a baseball bat. The Waiters, ignoring their hospitable service, grabbed some empty plates and wielded them in their hands. They simultaneously tossed them like frisbees. Luigi pushed Daisy to the side as they narrowly evaded them. The china shattered as they hit the wall. Mr. Luggs remained seated as he watched the show unfold.

Luigi did a Burst near the Goob, making him drop the pie. After stunning him, he sucked the mischievous entity into the G-00's vacuum and hastily slammed him into the other tables. Luigi effectively knocked the first Waiter to trap him as well. Meanwhile, Daisy ran over to the other side where the Greenie and the second Waiter were. Hauling the long loaf of bread out of the former's hands, Daisy took control of her flashlight and vacuum to trap the Greenie. She was able to slam him into the Waiter who hid in the cheese pile. A flash and several slams later, Daisy won her half of the battle. Before the large glutton could react, he unexpectedly saw Colombo leap on top of his table, grabbing a boneless chicken and gulping it entirely. He even gave him a playful lick, to which he did not enjoy.

"Gah! Stupid dog!" Mr. Luggs banged his fists again. "My food's ruined even more!"

"Looks like feeding time is over, Tubby!" Daisy smirked.

"You think you're so smart, tomboy. And nobody calls me 'Tubby'! Take _this_!"

"Yikes!" Luigi saw a fireball fly out of his mouth. He ducked beneath a table, nearly getting burned.

Mr. Luggs continued his fiery onslaught, forcing Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo to disperse throughout the Restaurant. Nearly all the chairs and tables were both scorched and broken. Shattered china, napkins, and utensils littered the floor, too. Some of the food on the back table was blackened to hell, leaving a disgusting stench.

"Geez! When did this guy turn into Bowser?!" Daisy yelled at Luigi.

"Don't ask me how he can do it! Just keep running until he fatigues himself!"

"Not unless I burn you to a crisp first! I think I'm craving roast plumber!" Mr. Luggs aimed at the man repeatedly.

"D'oh!" Luigi yelped as he nearly tripped on some silverware. Colombo's barks kept irking the massive phantom, so he directed the fireballs at the Polterpup, too. Luckily, he turned invisible to avoid the sweltering projectiles.

Unlike the workout the humans were getting, Mr. Luggs was lazily stuck in the corner spot until he started wheezing heavily. Once Luigi realized he was at his weakest, he shined the Strobulb at Mr. Luggs. With Daisy by his side, they somehow pulled him out of his seat.

"ARGH! Let me... finish... MY FOOD!" he snarled while struggling to escape.

"C'mon, Daisy! We almost have him!" Luigi initiated a double slam with her.

"Urgh! He's ten times heavier than Petunia! Did he down some wonton soup or something?"

"GAH! If you don't let me finish my other courses, I'll hunt you down until I eat you whole!"

"How about you eat dust?!" Luigi remarked before they performed one last slam. It took a couple of seconds before Mr. Luggs' entire body barely squeezed inside the G-00.

"My God... I'm just gonna say that he was the _worst_ ghost to slam," Daisy huffed.

"Yeah. He was pretty hard to suck him up with the 3000, too. But at least everything's clear."

Colombo was about to rejoin the humans until he smelled something new. Except, the distinct odor wasn't very inviting. Sniffing around, he looked through a circular window of the door that led to the adjacent room. There was a large amount of smoke forming inside.

"Arf! Arf!"

"What is it, boy?" Luigi saw Polterpup point at the door. "Oh, wow. Someone's cooking up a storm."

"You think someone ruined a roast in an oven or something?" Daisy quipped.

Luigi just shook his head. "I don't see an elevator button here, so we have to keep searching."

The trio slowly entered the Kitchen and was met with a massive smoke cloud. Luigi couldn't help but cough violently, and his eyes started to tear up. But he had a feeling someone was beyond the foggy barrier.

"NO! That's not how you're supposed to cook fish! It's raw!" an irate voice boomed.

"How can we see through this smoke?" Daisy wondered.

"I'm more worried about who said that," Luigi shivered.

"What do you mean you don't know where the lamb sauce is?! I told you where every single ingredient is, but you're too incompetent to remember, you freakin' donkey!"

Out of nowhere, a spoon was hurled towards Luigi, and it hit him square on the nose.

"Ow!" Luigi soon muttered a curse word in Italian.

"Are you alright?" Daisy was concerned.

"Ugh, I will after the pain subdues," he rubbed his nose.

"Where's the lamb sauce?!" the voice roared. A ghostly shriek was the only reply.

"Luigi," Professor E. Gadd chimed in, "it looks like you'll need to vacuum up the smoke to clear the area! It's not safe if you try to move forward with that thick wall in the way. Daisy, you should help, too. You'll need more than one person to handle this job!"

"If you say so. You good, Daisy?"

"I heard him loud and clear! Let's go!"

They aimed their nozzles high in the air and sucked up the gigantic smoke storm. The Kitchen became clear, revealing a gold-skinned ghost with a chef's uniform, a ragged mustache, and a green aura surrounding him. On both sides of him, two Goobs were struggling to fry some fish on their oily pans.

"Make sure the salmon is perfectly cooked! If I see any pink in that fish by the time you're done, I will fire you before you could even start one in this place! You've already burned a batch earlier! And-"

The chef and the Goobs paused when they saw the plumber and princess vacuuming the smoke.

"Hey!" he made them jump. "What are you doing here?!"

"Baking a cake for 4 ½ years," Daisy replied sarcastically. "What does it look like we're doing?"

"Um... Excuse me, mister..." Luigi hesitated.

"The name is Chef Soulfflé, and you will address me by that name! I ask you again, what are you doing in my kitchen?!"

"Isn't this technically Hellen Gravely's since she owns this hotel?"

"I wasn't speaking at you, missy! For the record, I'm the head chef here, so it's _mine_!"

"Rude," she scoffed to herself.

"As for you, the scared-looking freak in green, answer my question! Why are you here?!"

"U-Uh..."

"I don't have time to deal with people stammering. Either find the words to spit out of your mouth, or I'll force you to screw off out of here!"

"We're only looking for an elevator button!" Daisy gave him a straightforward answer. "You happy now?"

"I'll be _ecstatic_ if you leave! Goobs, shut down your cooking. Oust these vile intruders!"

The blue ghosts did what they were told, sliding their raw fish off their pans. Chef Soulfflé grabbed a large pan of his own as a weapon.

"Daisy, run!" Luigi cried out.

While the Goobs shielded their faces, the chef spun around the stove as he chased the ghost hunters. Daisy ran in one direction with Luigi following behind. She immediately stopped when she was surrounded by the Goobs. However, Luigi was able to use a Suction Shot on the pan and destroy them with a Slam. Colombo made the other drop his weapon by spooking him with a loud bark. Daisy took advantage by sucking their tails and slammed them onto the counter.

Meanwhile, Luigi quickly did a Burst when Soulfflé approached them. He shot another plunger and destroyed the chef's pan before stunning him with the Strobulb. Daisy and Luigi had their own respective battles with the ghosts. The princess was capable of dealing with both Goobs to make things easier.

"Ha! Now those ghouls are out of a job!"

"Grr! You'll pay for that!" the chef growled as he escaped Luigi's vacuum.

He started flinging slimy fish at his enemies. The princess tried to sneak near him and used her flashlight, but he blocked the light with a new pan. Luigi looked around and saw several watermelons and pumpkins lying on the floor. In retaliation, Luigi sucked up a pumpkin and shot it at the chef. After getting hit, Daisy saw an open chance to flash him. Her sneakers slid against the tiled floor as she tried to drain more of his health. Luigi soon joined her to complete another double slam. The chef's lower half was stuck in the Poltergust 5000.

"Yargh! You can't stop me! My restaurant boasts five-star service!" Soulfflé waved his pan around.

"And your attitude earns you a one in my review. We're shutting this kitchen down!" Daisy sneered.

"NO!"

Daisy pressed the button on her vacuum to completely trap the chef inside. Several fishes ejected out of the nozzle, sickening Luigi. Moments later, the Poltergust shook before a brand-new elevator button flew out and landed on the edge of the sink. Colombo gave the princess and the plumber an enthusiastic yap.

"Phew, glad that's over with," Luigi took off his cap, running a hand through the cowlicks of his auburn hair. He was about to grab the button off the sink, but he got spooked when a random mouse popped out of the drain. "YEEK!"

"What's wrong?"

Luigi fell backward into a puddle of water. Groaning from the damp stain on his overalls, he saw the rodent grab it with his mouth before swallowing it whole. Colombo saw this and tried to stop the rat, but it scurried past everyone.

"Ruff!" he angrily barked at the hole the mouse escaped through. He returned to the Restaurant to chase it.

"Oh, man! You've got to be kidding me!" Luigi moaned.

Daisy helped him off the wet floor. "You weren't the only one who saw that. Soulfflé says that he's gotten five stars for his restaurant. Please! If a health inspector was here, he would promptly close this place after seeing a single rat! Personally, I would change my rating to zero stars!"

"Let's not get off-topic here, fellers," E. Gadd called them. "While you have managed to capture Mr. Luggs and the head chef, you have to get the button back from that pest, posthaste!"

"Right. Colombo went ahead of us, so we should catch up to him!"

As they backtracked to the dining area, Colombo was sniffing at a small aperture directly below the cheese platter. Then, he had an idea. Grabbing one of the slices, Colombo placed it in front of the mouse hole. The rodent who ate the button fell for the bait. Its whiskers fluttered at the delightful aroma, and the rat began munching small bites around the cheese. Luigi tiptoed lightly to sneak behind and charged his flashlight. The rat barely heard his footsteps from behind but was too late to run away as it got stunned by the bright light.

"Got it!"

The elevator button landed on the counter in front of Daisy. But before she could grab it, a new mouse scuttered over and swallowed it whole, too!

"Hey! Get back here!" she tried to flash the dirty rat. Unfortunately, she was too late as it ran past Colombo and Luigi. The Polterpup got frustrated and ran ahead of the humans.

"You've got to be kidding me," Luigi slapped a hand on his forehead.

"That's quite a shame," pitied E. Gadd. "Those rats are really getting on my nerves."

"How do you think _we_ feel?" Daisy retorted. "We're the ones chasing them! You're just sitting comfortably in the lab!"

"Don't worry about me! I'm safe and sound from them." His comment made Luigi roll his eyes. "Only if you need to, be sure to check the map on the Virtual Boo so you don't get lost! He's gotta be around you."

"Did you assume the rat's gender?"

"That's not important at the moment. Hurry on!"

"I suspect the rat would stay on the second floor," Luigi brought out the goggles. "We'll have to check every room, I suppose."

He figured this would be just as time-consuming, similar to when he had to chase Polterpup in Evershade Valley. But at least Colombo was playful and energetic. Rats were disgusting and probably infectious. He'd rather hunt down Polterpup a billion times through a freaky mansion than chase a rat once or twice.

But he can't let Mario, Peach, and the others down all because of a stupid, creepy rodent. He had dealt with worse.

With Daisy walking behind him, they saw Colombo from a distance. He was sniffing at some cheese crumbs in the middle of the hallway. It led to a hole in the adjacent room on the right. Thanks to the VB's data, Luigi learned that there was an Entertainment Room south of the nearby bathrooms. Colombo hopped through the wall before they caught up to him. The room boasted a pool table, a dartboard, a chess set, some sitting areas, and a framed pig with its... rear end sticking out. The mouse squeezed in between the lockers against the back wall. Luigi was about to head over there until he saw a billiard ball thrown at the wall.

"Daisy, p-please tell me you threw that..." he shuddered.

"I would lie to keep you from being frightened, but that wasn't me."

Colombo turned around and barked when he saw the 8-ball hover in midair. Luigi held in a gasp when he saw a blue Hider surface in front of him. Another ghost showed up beside him. It was an orange variant known as an Oozer who behaves similarly like the Hider, except he looked more aggressive. The Oozer was tossing the 8-ball in his right hand, sneering at the plumber. He held his arm back before chucking the object at his face. Luigi was unable to dodge the flying projectile.

"GAH!"

"Luigi!" Daisy rushed to his side.

Colombo wasn't thrilled when his owner got hurt again. Showing his teeth, he hopped onto the table and pounced on the Oozer. While the orange ghoul was down, the Hider picked up a striped ball and hurled it at the ghost hunters. Daisy barely dodged the attack while protecting Luigi's head in her arms. The Polterpup yelped as he needed assistance.

"Sorry, Luigi. We'll have to deal with your injury later!"

The green plumber didn't complain as he tried to ignore the pain. The Oozer escaped Colombo and floated back to the billiards table. He threw the 7 and 14-balls at them. Luigi nearly got hit again, but he was able to duck and roll onto the floor. Although he was vulnerable, the Oozer focused on him, allowing Daisy to sneak around the table. She flashed the Strobulb on her Poltergust and surprised the Oozer. She dragged the hostile ghost to the back corner, slamming him into a nearby cabinet. After a successful capture, the Hider appeared from one of the table's pockets, taunting the trio. He continued to tease them by popping out of the other pockets moments before Luigi or Daisy could stun him.

After a while, the Hider stopped appearing from inside the pool table. Colombo got up and sniffed the pockets, figuring out where the Hider was located. When he checked one of the corners, he directed Luigi to check inside. The man dug his hand inside, revealing the Hider who blew a raspberry at him.

At least he didn't hurl another ball at his face, or he would've had a third bruise.

Luigi did a quick flash with the Strobulb and got a hold of the tail. He only had to slam him once before he trapped the ghost inside the G-00. The lights were back on while the paranormal gates vanished.

"Are you okay, Luigi?" Daisy went back to check on her partner. Colombo also approached him with concern.

"Ugh... This is the second night I've spent at this hotel, and I've already taken a spoon and ball to the face. At this point, that sword up there might as well impale me through my overalls or something."

Unexpectedly, the sword on the wall mantel started shaking. A second Oozer wriggled the weapon off before wielding it in his hands, aiming the sharp blade at the plumber who gawked with wide eyes.

"I didn't mean it literally!" he swiftly darted to the side, pulling Daisy's hand.

Both of them barely evaded the Oozer who stabbed the sword right into the wall. He struggled to get the blade out. The princess took advantage of his mistake and dazed the spirit. A few seconds later, she sucked up the Oozer into the 5000.

"I swear to Grambi, this hotel is going to be the death of me," Luigi sighed.

"Believe me, I totally understand why you're so stressed," E. Gadd mentioned on the mic. "It's been nothing but a series of unfortunate events with all the ghosts trying to harm you."

Luigi's eyes narrowed as he stared aimlessly at the brim of his hat. "Thanks for reminding me, Professor."

"Psst! Luigi! Colombo thinks the rat is still hiding back there. Or maybe it snuck inside one of the lockers," Daisy pointed out as the pooch sniffed through the cracks. "I think you should use a Suction Shot to pull them out from the wall."

"But what if it tries to escape again?"

"I got my Strobulb ready. I'll make sure I won't miss. Do you trust me?"

Just from the look on her face, he could sense a lot of spunk in her blue eyes. Her smile was also uplifting, adding an extra bit of confidence. After all, Daisy had never let Luigi down in their adventure thus far. If she knew what she was saying, he had to trust her even if his mind neglected it. Instead, it's what his heart followed. Daisy wasn't the kind of person to give up that easily. With her aid, he felt reassured. Luigi soon gave her a nod.

"Yes. I trust you."

Daisy widened her smirk. "I'm ready when you are."

Colombo stepped back to give Luigi some space. The mustached hero fired a plunger at the leftmost locker. Pulling back on the rope, he slammed the cubby onto the floor. Several gold bars and bills flew out from the debris. Luigi tried the middle locker, but there was nothing besides a hidden stack of money in the wall. As he took over the third locker, he gave it a hard slam. To their surprise, the mouse fell out of the broken metal scraps. Daisy was one step ahead by flashing the light instantly, killing the critter before it could flee yet again.

"Ha! Talk about good reaction timing!"

"I'll say. I'm glad you managed to stop it. Now I hope it won't get stolen by another rat."

"You better grab it quickly before that happens."

Luigi nodded and ran over to the '**4**' button that landed on one of the chairs. He was a bit disgusted considering it was swallowed by two mice. Albeit, it could've been worse, so he was somewhat grateful for that.

"Fantastic work!" E. Gadd congratulated. "Now that the button is secured, you can head on over to the elevator and move forward. Or rather upward, heh heh."

"Guess we're moving onto the fourth floor," said Daisy. "I wonder what will be there."

"The elevator tracker should tell us once we install this button. You ready to go back?"

"Sure am!"

"Arf!" Colombo didn't waste any time as he ran out of the Entertainment Room. Luigi had to chuckle at his reaction while Daisy went after the spectral canine.

However, he was apprehensive on the inside. Besides Daisy and the professor, he hasn't run into anyone else. His friends were still trapped in paintings, and he was unsure if King Boo or Hellen had anything worse planned for them. Mario, Peach, and the Toads didn't have any freedom to move, so the only major downside was being frozen from their imprisonment. Then again, King Boo was not like Bowser. The ghost ruler was far more unpredictable, especially since he has invisibility powers. He could take a second blink, then all of a sudden, King Boo could materialize out of thin air and immediately kidnap him, Daisy, or Colombo in a portrait. Or he could break a boundary and kill Mario by destroying the painting.

Any sort of horrific thoughts made him tremble as he felt shivers going up and down his spine. Unless that was the Goo vibrating within the Poltergust again.

Shaking his head, he promptly returned to the Grand Lobby where the others awaited him.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

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_Adding Mr. Luggs into the Restaurant made too much sense for me to not pass up the opportunity. His appearance compensates for the fact that I didn't include that many generic ghosts in the fight. The Waiters were from the first game as their only purpose was to feed 'The Glutton'. I could've added a Gobber from Dark Moon, but I decided against it. The same goes for using major profanity that would make this fanfic rated 'T'. (This is what happens when you watch compilations of Gordon Ramsay in Hell's Kitchen.) I'll keep it mild for now. Unless everyone doesn't care, the rating will likely remain the same._

_I included the rat chase after the fight with Chef Soulfflé because I thought it would be too short of a chapter if I left it separately. Plus, I excluded the Bathroom scene where he found all those mice piled up in the toilet. It felt tedious and gross to write that out, and Luigi could've gotten the stupid mouse back in the Entertainment Room if it weren't for plot inconvenience._

_Anyway, next time on Hotel Horror, Luigi and his friends will watch a performance that might not be worth a curtain call. If anything, they'll have to outsmart another duo of Portrait Ghosts in 4F – The Great Stage. Leave a favorite/follow to catch up on new uploads. Review down below to let me know what you think of this chapter. Until then, I'll see you all in the next one! This is TGN, signing off._


	11. Ch 10: Face the Music

_A/N:__ Thanks to Francisco Galvan Lopez, AeroJester203, GhostOfBluman, NightShark774, BadOrk11, MagmaCrater, and everyone else who has been reading, Hotel Horror is now at **70 favorites** and **followers**, as well as over **20,000 views**! I appreciate all of the support so far. Now that we're a week into March, let's keep the story running with a new chapter!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ You all know by now that I don't own Nintendo or any of their games/property._

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**Chapter 10:** Face the Music

With the new button in his hand, Luigi called the elevator and stepped inside with his friends. He let the '**4**' button twist into place before he nodded in satisfaction. He glanced over at the elevator tracker with a map and the level name above.

"Hmm... The Great Stage," Daisy read. "I wonder what we'll find up there."

E. Gadd took a moment to call Luigi with the VB goggles. After the plumber placed them over his eyes, his face appeared on the red screen. "Hey, Luigi! I forgot to mention something. If you or Daisy find yourself needing to return to the lab quickly, I've got the perfect solution! I've streamlined a transfer system just for you! All you have to do is access the VB and select 'Lab'. Sort of like the Pixelator, we'll be face-to-face in an instant!"

"Is my body going to break apart into blocks again? Because I still feel awkward and disoriented every time you make me use it," Luigi moaned.

"Not to worry, lad! A giant television is set up for you to walk on through like a portal! No pixels, no hassle, and no worries about your body falling apart!"

"Whatever you say."

"Additionally, the system goes both ways, too! When you're ready to get back to your adventures, the system will return you to the same place you left! Pretty convenient, am I right?"

"I guess so."

"Anyway, I just wanted you to keep that in mind while you're out there exploring! Good luck on the next floor!" E. Gadd signed off.

Luigi put away the VB before he went over to push the button. The sudden jolt of the elevator made him jump a little, but he knew this was a normal occurrence. As long as it didn't break down, his claustrophobic levels wouldn't keep him on edge.

However, his phasmophobia was doing that job for him.

* * *

_Location: 4F – The Great Stage_

A treble clef represented the dial above the elevator as it stopped on the sixth tick mark. With the doors opening, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo slowly stepped out into the lobby. They didn't even take two steps before they heard a noise.

"Huh? Do you hear something, Daisy?" Luigi held a hand behind his ear.

"Yeah, you're not the only one. It's pretty faint from here, but I think it might be a piano."

"I think you're right." He paused to shudder. "I've had a few experiences with ghosts playing some melodies. Although I can't deny their talent, it still sends chills down my spine."

"I mean, it could be way worse. You could be Mario and run into a freaking killer piano with teeth!"

"Oh, don't remind me!" Luigi recalled that memory in Big Boo's Haunt.

"Sorry. Anyway, let's continue, shall we?"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo was on board. The floor wasn't too dark as a few spotlights illuminated various souvenirs, art pieces, and musical instruments. They stared at a large poster with a piano drawn as the display. There was also a large sousaphone to their left. Just before they went down the hallway, Luigi jumped when he saw a large cymbal rolling around before it landed flat in front of their feet.

"Um, I hate to be Captain Obvious, but I think it's safe to say that we're definitely not alone in this hallway," Daisy exhaled.

Around the corner was the Concession Stand with some bags of popcorn and cups of soda sitting on the countertop. As they headed further down, Colombo spotted a Goob wearing a bellhop hat and a bowtie, flopping the red carpet. The jocular ghost was trying to make the humans trip and fall. Luigi figured that he needed to evade the humps by using the Burst. Every time a carpet wave came close to him, he expelled some air to hop over the obstacles. Once he was close, the man flashed the ghost, surprising him. Luigi growled as he struggled to keep him stuck in the hose. After a while, he was able to slam him into the podium.

"Good work! With that out of the way, I can hear the music playing from in there," the princess pointed at the large double doors.

Luigi followed her to the Auditorium entrance, pushing the doors aside. Colombo hopped through before they closed. The first thing that caught their attention was the piano in the center of the stage with the lights down on it. Ignoring the creepy music that was playing, they saw several rows of chairs with red cushions, statue decorations on the side, and a few sitting balconies on the top level. Lastly, a spotlight shone on a framed picture that stood against a partition. To their surprise, it was a Toad.

"Look at that!" E. Gadd whispered through the Virtual Boo's microphone. "It's one of your friends who joined your vacation! All you have to do is shine your Dark-Light Device on the portrait to free him!"

"That's easier said than done, Professor," Luigi grumbled. "Do you not notice the piano music in the background?"

"We can't let some more ghosts be a distraction for us. We've already captured tens of them by now!" Daisy told him. "We got to save that Toad and get the next elevator button!"

"You're right. Standing here isn't going to do anything."

"Don't worry, fellers. I'll cheer for you from my lab," encouraged E. Gadd.

Luigi led the group down the aisle as he reached the small stairway that led up to the stage. The eerie piano music continued to play. With the keys moving up and down on their own, more shivers traveled down his spine. Of course, he knew the piano wasn't haunted.

It was the ghost performing a rendition of _Moonlight Sonata_, or some similar piece.

Creeping closer to the portrait, Luigi stopped when a figure emerged on the bench. He instantly recognized her; it was Melody Pianissima. She was a blonde ghost with a long, maroon dress. Then, a second ghost appeared as well. To Melody's right was a new face that Luigi had never seen before. It was a male ghost with purple skin, silver hair, and a white dress shirt with a purple jacket.

"You have to keep up with the tempo, Melody," the taller musician chastised her. "I can't tolerate anyone, including ghosts, who can't keep their rhythm flowing."

"Excuse me, Amadeus Wolfgeist," Melody fired back as she pulled her hands away from the keys. "I believe my tempo is fine. Haven't you learned by now that I have learned to play the piano for several years?"

That urged Amadeus to stop playing, too. "Hmph. Impressive, yes. But I have more experience than you, Missy. I've been a master at the ebony and ivory keys for decades."

"Uh, no surprise. You died at an older age compared to me."

"Age is but a number. Regardless, I'm more poised and professional than you will ever be."

"Says the ghost who decked a random guest for having squeaky shoes."

Amadeus's hair started to fire up. "Hey! He messed up the biggest recital in my entire life! As soon as that scoundrel walked into the Auditorium, he made me lose focus and I played the wrong notes! You could hear him squeak from across the continent! The audience mocked me before I could finish, and I'll never forgive him!"

"It was your high school talent show, for heaven's sake," Melody gave him a funny look.

His right eye twitched. "You don't know that," he whispered in denial.

"You're so overdramatic that it's funny how people think I have the worst temper. At least I'm more respectful towards strangers. You, on the other hand, like outsiders only when they praise you. It's like you always want to hog the spotlight for yourself."

"Don't you sass at me. Why am I even playing next to you in the first place?"

"Because when I discovered this piano, I couldn't resist playing. You heard me from your dressing room and found me. At first, you doubted my talents, and I've been here for the last hour or so to prove you wrong. Yet every time, you have to interrupt because you accuse me of not getting the tempo right, that I don't have a sense of rhythm, or that I don't play with enough passion. Well, _sorry_, Mr. Musical Mentor. I prefer to play the piano in my own way. Or maybe you're just jealous that I'm a better pianist," Melody smirked.

"Ugh. As if," Amadeus scoffed.

Luigi took another step closer to Toad until the wooden floors made a creaking sound. Disturbed, Amadeus turned around and detected the apprehensive plumber.

"Now what? Who dares to interfere with my musical presence this time?"

Melody shifted over and saw who he was talking about. "Oh, why if it isn't Luigi!"

"You know this mustached man?" he asked with a quizzical look.

"Of course I do! He was kind enough to listen to a few of my favorite sonatas before he sucked me into his vacuum."

"You've been captured by this buffoon? Hmm... I'd expect you would put up a decent fight against some pathetic carpenter... or whatever he is."

"Hey, get your professions right! He's a plumber, mind you!" Daisy jeered.

"Oh, great. Just what I desired. Some more guests to distract me from my music. Listen here, delinquents. I'm only here to provide quality entertainment to a massive crowd of people who will appreciate my piano skills. Instead, I get a sassy tomboy, an overenthusiastic pooch, and a dirty, old man who can't keep his legs still."

Luigi gulped as his knees temporarily stopped buckling. Colombo softly growled at the narcissistic musician.

"Don't take it too personally," Melody said to the protagonists. "He's quite a hotheaded man based on what I've perceived."

"Hotheaded?" Amadeus glared. "I'll show you hotheaded! If you can't manage to outdo this highly-strung Italian, I'll teach you all a lesson on how a proper fight should take place! Then I can go back to my sheet music in peace."

Amadeus tugged the ends of his sleeves before rapidly tapping the keys in a malevolent manner. He scared Luigi off the stage, and the staircase disappeared. Typically, it wouldn't hurt to get back onto the dais by climbing. However, a force field emanated across the edge of the stage. Case in point, Luigi tested to see if he could reach Toad, but the paranormal wall shocked his fingers.

"Yow! That stings!" he shook his hand.

"Ha ha ha!" Wolfgeist chuckled. "Prepare for a performance that will make you rise up from your seat. That is, if you could find one..."

"What are you insinuating?" Melody wondered as she watched him play.

Suddenly, the top-left row of chairs floated in the air, spooking Luigi. A few more rows rose from their spots before they started spinning around. Before Luigi or the others could tell what was going on, the first set of chairs plunged towards the green plumber. He didn't react in time and got knocked down by the unexpected move.

"Luigi!" Daisy cried out. She was about to head over to help him, but she saw the other seats home in on her. The princess rushed off to the side while Colombo turned invisible to avoid the third set.

By the time they smashed onto the floor, more of the chairs flew several feet in the air. The process repeated as Amadeus eagerly ran his hands over the piano keys. As he sped up the tempo, the chairs soared very quickly at the heroes. Luckily for Luigi, he got up in time and ran away from the crashes. The purple pianist tried to trick them by slowing the melody for a few seconds. Moments later, he swiped his hands from side to side as the remaining seats went in various directions to fool Luigi and his friends.

Melody spectated everything from her side of the bench. Admittedly, she didn't think Luigi was a bad person, especially when he fought her in the Conservatory of the first mansion. It wasn't like they were good acquaintances though. She merely shrugged and decided to join Amadeus who was in the middle of his chair attack.

Once all of the chairs were gone, the Auditorium was bare aside from the bags of popcorn, soda cups, and piles of broken planks, cushions, and dust. Luigi took a breather as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. Daisy went over to check on him.

"You okay?" she sounded concerned. Colombo approached them as well, cringing at the bruise he saw on his owner's left cheek.

"Augh... It felt like my jaw snapped or something."

"You even have a mark on there," Daisy caressed the spot, causing him to flinch. "Ooh, sorry."

"No, it's okay," he gently rubbed it.

"Bah, you're still alive?" Wolfgeist groaned in disapproval. He stretched his arms forward and cracked his fingers. "No matter. Time for my second act of the night. Maybe you'll get a kick out of the show. Or maybe I'll kick you out of my stage."

"What does that supposed to mean?" murmured Daisy.

Amadeus didn't answer her question as he began playing a new piece.

"Ah, yes. Time for the ballet recital," Melody noticed a few ghosts hiding behind the curtain. "Well, there's no need for me to join because it's all about the high-pitched notes. The stage is yours, Mr. Wolfgeist."

"Such a condescending tone. Were you trying to be sarcastic?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," she gawked at her nails.

Amadeus, despite not having any pupils, rolled his eyes as he continued. From the sides, there was a Goob with an eye mask and a tutu around his waist. He twirled around on stage while a Greenie appeared on the other side, sporting the same attire. The ghosts did some pirouettes and a couple of grand jetés. Eventually, they glided away from the piano, passing the permeable barrier.

"Those ghosts won't be blinded by the light if they have those masks on," E. Gadd commented. "You can either suck them up or do a Burst when you're nearby!"

"It's almost like them wearing sunglasses, so it's nothing new. We just have to keep an eye on our surroundings so nothing will creep us from behind," Daisy gripped the hose of the Poltergust 5000.

As they got closer, Luigi used a Burst to get rid of their masks. With their eyes unveiled, he and Daisy were able to shine their Strobulbs on the enemies. Luigi caught the Goob while Daisy focused on the Greenie. Colombo barked and jumped repeatedly to cheer for them. Simultaneously, Amadeus sped up the music whenever they started draining the ghosts' health. A couple slams onto the floor were sufficient to trap them in their Poltergusts.

By then, a new set of ghosts gyrated onto the stage. They were Ghost Guys, some Shy Guy-like ghosts who also wore masks to conceal their faces for obvious reasons.

"We'll have to suck off the masks if we want to shine the light on them," explained Luigi. "I hate to invade their privacy, but that's the only way we can defeat them."

"I wonder if these guys have faces like the normal Shy Guys."

"Trust me. You don't want to see what they look like from behind," he recalled the one time he saw his true appearance during a tennis tournament.

Colombo panted happily as he decided to join the Ghost Guys in their dance. But secretly, he wanted to get them closer to the humans so they can get in range of their masks. Hopping on his hind legs, he coaxed one of them towards Daisy. She saw what the Polterpup was doing and chose to stand around casually. By the time the Ghost Guy was a few feet in front of her, she took out the hose and dragged the disguise off his cloak. The poor soul was distraught and tried to hide his face with his stubby hands but to no avail. Daisy got a hold of the Ghost Guy before slamming him repeatedly onto the floor. Colombo did the same procedure with Luigi as he took down an orange Ghost Guy. The more ghosts they defeated, the more frustrated Amadeus became. He didn't say a word because he didn't want to stop the music. Yet it was difficult to keep a straight face when Luigi and Daisy were ruining his show.

After all of the dancers were trapped, Amadeus turned to the humans in disgust. "Why?! Why are you still here?!"

"Hey, it's not our fault the ghosts were harmless ballerinas," Daisy countered. "Besides we needed to clear the area so it's not infested!"

"The only ones infesting my stage are you inhumane rascals!" Wolfgeist banged his fists against the keys. The loud, discordant sound made everyone jump. Additionally, his hair and aura turned into an inferno as his temper boiled.

"My goodness, Amadeus. Keep yourself in control," Melody tried to calm him down.

"I don't need your input!" he pointed a finger at her. "I think it's time for these fools to face the music – literally!"

Slamming the ivory keys once more, Amadeus furiously opened the lid and flew inside the grand instrument. At this point, Melody thought he was turning into a loose cannon.

"What are you doing?" Amadeus peeked his head at her.

"I should be asking you that question!"

"I'm going to possess my piano and turn it into a coffin for those ghost-catching freaks! Are you going to join me or not?"

"What makes you think that I want to help you?"

Amadeus thought for a few seconds. "I'll give you some unique lessons to become one of the greatest piano masters of the world."

"Really? That's the best you have to offer?" Melody crossed her arms. Then, she formed a devious smirk. "Tell you what. I'll be your fighting partner... if you admit that I'm just as talented as you are."

"What?"

"Or rather, I'm more poised and professional at the piano than you."

"Excuse me?!" his hair started burning again.

"That's all I want to hear. Of course, you don't have to say it. But if you're going against Luigi and his friends by yourself, I can foresee a fate that's worse than a month of detention for knocking a stranger senseless."

"My detention lasted for three weeks!" Wolfgeist angrily corrected.

"I rest my case."

A gruff sigh escaped his lips as he couldn't believe that Melody was embarrassingly taunting him. He never felt this humiliated before, but he considered this situation just as repulsive now that he was a ghost.

"You, Melody Pianissima, are a more poised and professional musician compared to me," he choked on the last few words.

"Was that so hard to say? Actually, don't answer that. I'll engage in your battle. I expect this to be more invigorating than my flying sheet music!"

Amadeus smirked as he watched Melody fly into the interior. The possessed piano started shaking violently before it started banging the floor loudly. Luigi and Daisy had to cover their ears from the inharmonious notes. Then, two lights flashed above the keys, representing a pair of pupils that stared menacingly at the ghost hunters. Either take it metaphorically or literally, the piano roared inside the Auditorium, eager to bite or pounce on anyone who approached it.

"Mamma Mia! Now this feels like Big Boo's Haunt all over again!" Luigi chattered his teeth.

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo barked when the piano leaped high into the air. Amadeus and Melody guided the piano to where they stood.

"RUN!" Daisy screamed.

Everyone split up as the bosses went to various spots on the floor. They narrowly evaded the face that crashed into the ground. The only easy way to know where they would land was the spotlight that was following the possessed instrument. After several hops, the piano landed in the center and caused a massive shockwave. Daisy didn't have the Burst move with the Poltergust 5000, so Colombo rushed over and touched her with his paw to turn invisible. Luigi was able to soar over the attack.

The piano bounced back onto the stage and rumbled in its spot. Suddenly, Melody and Amadeus lifted the lid and threw multiple bombs at their opponents.

"Geez! If there was a real audience to witness this performance, they wouldn't make it out of this concert alive!" Daisy yelled as she ran to the side.

"Maybe we can use these bombs to retaliate! I've done this a few times before!"

"So what do we do?"

Luigi noticed the open lid of the piano. "Suck the bombs into the nozzle and shoot them in the piano! That might get those two out of there!"

Daisy understood and used the suction to hold one of the bombs. Luigi took one that was blinking in red since there weren't any others in his range. He was trying to get rid of it before it detonated on himself. He aligned the bomb at the cover and shot the explosive weapon. Daisy had more than enough time since hers didn't blink repeatedly. Thanks to her technical skills, she shot the bomb immediately after Luigi's. The two landed in the lid, exploding the entire instrument. Some ghostly shrieks came from inside the lid as the piano landed on its side.

"Gah! That burns!" Amadeus yelled in pain.

"No kidding! I think I'm regretting my decision now," Melody muttered.

"What does that supposed to mean?!"

Before she could answer, Luigi ran to the edge of the platform and noticed a circular mark on the underside. Since the piano was leaning past the paranormal wall, he was able to use a Suction Shot. Luigi somehow yanked it off the stage despite its heavy weight. The slam forced the ghosts out of the lid. Melody became dazed as her head spun; on the other hand, Amadeus yelled in frustration with his hair sticking out in various directions like snakes on Medusa's head.

At least no one turned into stone for staring at his face.

"Daisy, you go for Melody. I'll take care of Amadeus!"

She winked at her partner. "You got it!"

Amadeus was frozen when Luigi attacked with the Strobulb. He put up a strong fight as the plumber struggled to keep his balance. Colombo helped his owner by tugging on the leg of his overalls, giving Luigi some leverage to keep Wolfgeist within his grasp. Once the meter was charged, the musician was slammed repeatedly until he could finally get away from the G-00. Daisy was able to tire out Melody for a while until she escaped, too. They repossessed the piano as another discordant tune shattered their eardrums.

"I think I'm going to be deaf by the time we finish this fight!" Daisy complained.

"More like you're going to be _dead_ like us! Might as well cross over into the afterlife!" Amadeus growled from inside the piano.

Several black and white keys floated from the keyboard before they launched in different directions. Daisy and Colombo evaded the projectiles, but a black key hit Luigi in the nose.

"Owie! Come on! What's with my luck?"

The killer piano maneuvered in the same way where Amadeus and Melody attempted to land on either Luigi or Daisy. Much to the former's chagrin, they were unharmed throughout the second phase. The piano hopped onto the stage again and released more bombs at the heroes. Additionally, some burning music notes bounced around as extra traps.

"Wash, rinse, and repeat," Daisy chanted to herself, sucking up one of the explosives. She aimed it perfectly at the lid to tilt the piano on the side. It was Luigi's turn to do some action as he utilized another Suction Shot and jerked the plunger as the piano collapsed a second time.

"Grrr! This is exactly why I despise strangers! They always ruin my performance no matter what they do!" Wolfgeist grunted, curling his fingers into tight fists. He planned to clout Luigi in the eye, but the man in green beat him to the punch, no pun intended.

Amadeus got caught in the G-00's nozzle again. This time, he had more difficulty escaping the suction power as Luigi kept his grip. Melody also got stuck in Daisy's vacuum before she started a chain of slams. Her health depleted faster than she expected.

"It seems like I'll have to take my final bow!" she realized her fate. In a few seconds, the female spirit was trapped in the 5000.

"That's one down!"

"Good job, Daisy!" Luigi called from the other side of the room.

That left Amadeus Wolfgeist who couldn't care less about Melody's loss. "Just because she's not here anymore doesn't mean that I'm at a disadvantage! I'll get my revenge on you, Green 'Stache!"

"Really? First Bowser, and now you call me that?"

"Prepare for your last act!"

Instead of controlling his piano a third time, he grabbed some more bombs from the lid and hurled them at the plumber. Colombo jumped in front and deflected a few with his paws. When that didn't work, he propelled some streaks of fire from his aura so he could burn Luigi. As he solely focused on him, Amadeus failed to notice that Daisy was sneaking behind with one of the bombs attached to her vacuum. She didn't hold back as she fired the weapon at his head.

"GAH!"

Smirking, Daisy ran up to him and flashed the Strobulb. Luigi went over to assist her as they both tugged on his tail and dress shirt. They collaborated with multiple double slams until Amadeus lost his energy to escape. Half of his body was stuck in the G-00.

"Drat! I'll never forgive you for this!" Despite his resentment, he gave a formal bow before allowing himself to get sucked inside. As Luigi's vacuum shook, a new elevator button extracted out of the hose and landed in the middle of the Auditorium.

"Oh, bravo!" Luigi picked up the collectible. It shined brightly with a '**6**' marked on it.

"Great job catching that egomaniac, Luigi," the princess patted him on the shoulder. "Not gonna lie, I was getting tired of his antics."

He tucked the button in his pocket. "Thanks, Daisy. You did a good job, too! Although, I think Melody deserved better since she wasn't as evil or angry as Amadeus."

"I guess so, but it's better safe than sorry that she also won't cause any mayhem."

"You have a point."

"Ruff!" Colombo was over at the edge of the platform. Since Amadeus and Melody were gone, the shocking wall dissipated. The Polterpup reactivated the stairs by kicking the wall and opening the compartment.

"Cool! Now we can go rescue Toad!"

Luigi and Daisy walked onto the stage without any hazards in their way. The former shined the Dark-Light onto the portrait for a few seconds until Toad emerged out of his prison.

"Wah!" the mushroom retainer squealed while landing on his head. "Ow! That's the second time I've landed like that. At least my head acts as a cushion."

"Are you okay, Toad?" Luigi leaned over to check on him.

"Huh? Hey, Luigi! You saved me!" he jumped into his arms with glee.

"Oh!" the man caught him, nearly falling backward. Daisy chuckled at the sight. "Y-You're welcome, Toad. Good to see that you're fine," he set his friend down.

"I sure am, thanks to you!" He then looked over to where the Sarasaland princess stood. "Whoa, Daisy! I didn't expect to see you here. Now that I mention that, why are you here in The Last Resort?"

"It's a long story, but I'll explain it to you later."

"Well, the important thing is that I'm free! You won't believe how much I missed you, Luigi. When King Boo crept into our hotel room, I saw Blue and Yellow stuck in paintings. Wait... Oh no! What happened to them?! And what about Mario and Princess Peach?!"

"C-Calm down, Red. To say the least, everyone has been kidnapped except for me. You're the first one we've found so far in the hotel."

"Oh, boy. That's both good and bad news. It's good that I'm alive, but I'm worried about our other friends."

"Yeah, I'm with you. I'm more concerned about Mario though." Daisy rubbed his shoulder in remorse while Colombo frowned.

Another notification sound rang from the VB's microphone. "I'm confident you'll find the others in no time, Luigi," E. Gadd reassured. "For now, one of the Toads has been rescued. It's probably best for him to stay with me in my lab."

"I'm okay with that. After all, I'm not a huge fan of haunted places, especially when they're swarming with ghosts!"

"How do you think I feel?" Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"At least you're braver than me. Take that as a major compliment!" said Toad.

"Might as well head for the elevator then. I also want you guys to stop by the lab for a minute or two. I'd like to explain something else that should be very important in your adventure."

"You got it, Professor!" Daisy told him. "Is everyone else ready?"

"I am!" Toad gave a thumbs-up.

"Ruff!" added Colombo.

Luigi smiled and gave a silent nod as he led everyone out of the Auditorium. Thankfully, there weren't any hidden ghosts to frighten the party, most notably Luigi and Red Toad. The four reached the lift and entered inside. Before they left for the Basement, a security camera zoomed in at the elevator, pointing directly at Luigi before he disappeared from the closing doors.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

Inside her room, Hellen Gravely was sitting in front of her display of monitors, observing the confident smile on her VIP's face. She didn't mirror his expression. It was the complete opposite.

A Goob and a Greenie wearing hotel hats were floating on the other side of her desk. Although they couldn't see her, they could tell from her body language that she was enraged. They made a couple sounds to each other before they got interrupted by their boss.

"I can hear you, so you better stop," she ordered indignantly. "I've told you and the other ghosts to keep my target from progressing further up in my hotel. Yet you incompetent pests can't do anything! Not even the Portrait Ghosts are contributing. They were too busy playing a stupid ballerina recital, for heaven's sake! I am not a patient woman, so I will tell you to spread the message again. Stop Luigi now or get yourself stuck in his wretched vacuum because I won't bother to save any of you. Now go!"

The ghosts immediately understood as they nervously exited her vault.

Hellen's fingers curled that her nails were scratching her Polterkitty a bit too hard. The feline flinched for a second, yet she remained in her owner's lap.

"Hrrgh... I'm sick of that dirty plumber and his overzealous princess sucking up my staff members. If this continues to be a trend, I'm going to lose it. I want that man to suffer!" she dug her nails through her pet.

"MEOW!" Polterkitty screeched. Even though she was a ghost, the cat felt as though she received some scratch marks on her transparent skin. Polterkitty was a bit irritated that Hellen didn't acknowledge the fact that she unintentionally hurt her. Shaking her head, she hopped off her lap and went over to her bowl, drinking some milk. Glancing back at the purple ghost, Hellen was still transfixed on her televisions. The cat stared in disapproval before she rested on a separate chair.

"I'll never receive King Boo's praise if my workers can't meet my expectations. I can only imagine the disgusted look on his face right now."

Little did Hellen know that her idol was behind her, completely invisible. He hovered in the corner of the Observation Room. Indeed, he was not pleased with her or the ghosts that failed to stop his green-clad nemesis. He refrained from making any noise or else Hellen would know he was spying on her. King Boo quietly departed through the wall in dissatisfaction.

"Is she really up to the task of capturing Luigi?" he asked himself. "I'm starting to have my doubts. I'll give her some more chances, but I won't be easy on her if she's consistently fruitless."

King Boo used his magical crown to summon a valuable object. It was the painting that had Mario trapped inside. His frown soon curved up into a malicious smile.

"At least I still have you. It's satisfying to know that I can handle your shenanigans better than the Koopa tyrant. All I need now is your cowardly brother."

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_So, one suggestion that has been asked by a few people is to add some lore to the Boss Ghosts since we don't know too much about their history. I gave out a few details regarding Amadeus Wolfgeist, whom I characterized as a stubborn, self-centered musician with a lack of patience. Eventually, I'll dedicate a chapter to thoroughly explain the past of all the ghosts Luigi and Daisy have captured. Unfortunately, it won't happen until much later._

_Secondly, Melody made a lot of sense to use for a dual battle on this floor. However, this won't be the only time Luigi and Daisy will have a fight in The Great Stage. The reason why will be revealed in the next chapter. Anyway, I hope I didn't write her out of character._

_That will conclude Ch. 10 of Hotel Horror. Although Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo have rescued a Toad and retrieved another elevator button, they won't head to 6F yet. E. Gadd has something in mind before they can progress. Until then, you'll see what he has to say in the next one. Let me know how this one went, and leave a favorite/follow to catch up on future updates. This is TGN, signing off._


	12. Ch 11: Boo's Clues

_A/N:__ Hey, everyone. As an update, I should let you know that the coronavirus pandemic is still going on, and I'm taking precautions to keep myself safe. Unfortunately, with the job that I have, I'm not exempt from work unless things get drastically worse. Meanwhile, my class has switched to online remote learning for possibly the **rest** of the spring semester. I'm still studying even though we don't know how the exams are going to work since most of the content is written out. Lastly, I'm trying my best to catch up on writing whenever I'm not busy. I hope you all understand._

_A huge thanks goes out to TheShadowStarr23, sigmadanny, Infinite's Ruby, animegamefanatic, FireFlamerx9z, Oderus, RGGAM, IanAlphaAxel, Q, Tiger of Darkness, Ultimatejoseph135, Golden Eye, and Alex Wells for reviewing since the last upload. Alongside TheShadowStarr23, I want to thank Megan Romero, Flipdream, cartoon seer, Sarcastic Black Cat, AngyGirl, Xanderq, and Superfloxes for leaving a favorite and/or follow._

_Speaking of Superfloxes, he/she is also writing a Luigi's Mansion 3 fanfic. Although I've haven't gotten the chance to read far into it, the story has pretty interesting details and some in-depth content from what I've read so far. I would gladly recommend giving it a read!_

_And of course, thank you to everyone else who has joined the adventure from the beginning. We're now at **150 reviews** and **23,000+ hits**! As for this chapter, we won't be heading to Castle MacFrights yet. What will our heroes face instead? Let's get right into it!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I don't work for Nintendo, nor do I own any rights to Luigi's Mansion or the Mario characters._

* * *

**Chapter 11:** Boo's Clues

_Location: B1 – Basement_

A tremor shook inside the core of Luigi's body as the elevator descended to the Basement. Daisy caught the sudden jolt and turned to her ghost-fighting partner in green.

"What's up, Luigi?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I don't know. It felt like someone was breathing down my neck, so that's why I shivered a little."

"Oh, I understand that feeling," Red Toad told him. "Granted, I'm pretty short compared to everyone else, so a lot of things stand tall from behind. Whenever I felt some air, I would be a little creeped out that someone was trying to pull a prank on me."

"But so far, the only prank you've faced over the last few days was getting kidnapped by King Boo," said Daisy.

"That was far from a practical joke! Getting stuck inside a painting is no laughing matter!" Red defended. "Besides, was I supposed to do after I saw Yellow and Blue stuck as well? I tried opening the door from my bedroom to escape, but it wouldn't budge! That's how I ended up in that predicament. I'm just grateful you guys were here to save me."

"Arf!" Colombo proceeded to lick Toad's face to make him feel better. It worked as he snickered and petted the dog.

"The other four could be anywhere in the hotel," Luigi sighed. "Knowing King Boo though, he's probably keeping Mario to himself."

"That is a fair point. The longer it takes to find him, the harder it will be to free him from his painting," Daisy nodded.

Just then, the elevator slowed down until the bell rang. As they reached B1, Luigi, Daisy, and Polterpup led Red Toad to the Garage where E. Gadd's portable lab stood. They entered inside and greeted the professor who was still in his red highchair.

"Ah, Luigi! Daisy! Colombo! You're finally back, eh? You shouldn't keep an old man waiting, y'know."

"Well, _excuuuuuuse_ us, Professor!" Daisy mocked him.

"Heh heh heh! I'll give you that, Princess. Oh, and I see the Toad you've rescued from Amadeus and Melody! Great work, everyone!"

"Wow, this is a really cool lab you got here," Red complimented.

"I appreciate your gracious words, little fella. Anyway, you can go ahead and deposit those ghosts into the Container."

Luigi and Daisy followed his instructions and took turns inserting the nozzle to the rectangular slot. They regrouped in front of E. Gadd to hear what he had to say.

"Now that you're all here, I want to say that I've been pretty impressed with your progress. The three of you are satisfactory at exploring The Last Resort with the limited amount of buttons you've uncovered so far. You have great chemistry, and you haven't let those devious ghosts slow you down with your Poltergust G-00 and 5000, respectively! Slowly but surely, you'll make your way up to the top where I presume Hellen Gravely and King Boo are hiding."

"My sentiments exactly," Luigi firmly agreed.

"Although you've gotten another button in the process, I want to divert from ascending to the next level for now."

"Why is that, Professor?" Daisy wondered. Colombo also tilted his head in confusion.

"Before I properly answer that question, Luigi, can you turn around for a second? I need to adjust your Poltergust G-00."

"Um, okay." He turned his body around so that the tank was directly in front of E. Gadd. The professor took a moment to tinker with the vacuum before letting him go.

"All done! Thank you, Luigi."

"Sure thing, but what did you do to it?"

"Now is the optimal time to answer both your questions! I just installed a special feature to the G-00 to help you track down some Boos!"

"What?! B-B-Boos?!" Luigi held his fingers near his chattering teeth.

"Indeed. My research indicates that they're hiding out in this hotel. It shouldn't be too much of a surprise since King Boo is involved."

"Aw, no!" Red shrieked. "They're probably the worst kind of ghosts out there! What if they come out to scare me?"

"Don't worry, Toad. Like I said, it's better off if you stay in the lab with me. The only ghosts that can get inside are the ones trapped in the Ghost Container."

"Whew! That's a relief!"

"Says you!" Luigi narrowed his eyes. "I hate Boos the most! And _I_ have to go find them!"

"_We're_ gonna find them, Luigi," Daisy corrected.

"Ugh, you get my point."

"Enough bickering, lads. I feel like I've mentioned this too many times, but I should remind you once more. Whenever the Boos are in great numbers, they can be a disturbing force. And with the combination of King Boo's powers with that jeweled crown of his, they can be unstoppable! That's why we need to capture those Boos from preventing the end of the world again! Therefore, I installed the feature to alert you if a Boo is nearby. I have some notes written down somewhere. Oh, gosh dang it! Where did I put those cards?" E. Gadd fumbled through his desk.

"Oh, I don't feel so good right now," Luigi groaned.

"Don't tell me you're trying to fake an illness to get away from this ghost hunting. We all need you, Luigi!" Daisy urged.

"I'm not trying to fake anything! I legitimately feel sick to my stomach knowing how deceiving those Boos are. I've captured too many that I've lost count, yet they're always giving me nightmares, especially when it has to do with Mario."

Daisy felt a little guilty of accusing him, so she patted his shoulders and embraced him from behind. Luigi appreciated the gesture as his body didn't tremble as much.

"Ah, here they are!" E. Gadd turned back to the heroes. "So you see, Gooigi's body is made of a material I've dubbed as 'Goo'. You would already know this by now. Anyway, Goo reacts to the frequency emitted by Boos. If in the case one was hiding nearby, the Goo will vibrate to indicate this!"

"Well, I've felt Gooigi vibrate inside my vacuum a couple of times before you made the adjustment. D-Did that mean Boos were hiding near the floors we've b-been to?" Luigi stammered.

"It's a possibility. But this tracker on the Goo will be sufficient. The closer you get to a Boo's location, the stronger the vibration will be. You'll definitely be able to tell when you're really close to one! Does this all make sense?"

"I understand. We'll get those Boos for sure!" Daisy pumped her fist.

"Excellent! I have a suspicion that a Boo is hiding around the Basement somewhere. Why don't you search around here first?"

"Sounds like a plan! You guys ready?"

"Ruff!" Colombo wagged his tail.

"I guess so..." Luigi mumbled.

"Don't feel so down, Luigi. From experience, you're the best at catching those pesky Boos! I know you'll do it again!" E. Gadd pepped him up.

"Same here! I'll be cheering for you from here!" Red Toad smiled.

"Okay, then. Let's-a-go," Luigi unenthusiastically replied.

* * *

Because Luigi couldn't feel a vibration from Gooigi when he stood in the Garage, the first place that he checked was the Laundry Room. As Daisy and Colombo followed him, they saw the Goo inside the tank shake.

"Hmm, that must be the tracker E. Gadd was talking about," Daisy believed.

"That is correct!" the professor rang in from the microphone. "The vibrating Goo is your clue to find those Boos."

"Since when did you become a poet, Elvin Allan Poe?" Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"Ho ho ho! Another good comeback right there. You get some brownie points for that. Alright, I don't want to distract you. Go find that Boo!"

Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo stayed silent as they paid attention to the rumbling Goo. The vibrations started off lightly, but they became stronger when Luigi walked past the dryers. On the other side where the washers stood, Colombo barked when the vacuum began to shake violently.

"The Goo is reacting a lot near the washers. Maybe the Boo is in one of them?" Daisy assumed.

She checked the second washer from the left, but she didn't see anything inside. Luigi took the other washer and opened the lid.

"YAAAH!" he screamed and dropped his flashlight when a Boo screeched his face.

"Ho ho, I'm Boosement! Looks like you found me... or did you? Either way, you'll never catch me!" the Boo taunted before becoming invisible.

Luigi quivered as he got back up and grabbed his flashlight, hoping to find the Boo again. Unfortunately, he had no luck.

"Where did that Boo go?!"

Colombo began sniffing when he noticed some fog covering the floor. Then, he realized a trail hovering above the thick mist. He barked loudly, causing the humans to realize the anomaly. Luigi recalled in his Dark Moon quest that he had to uncover the Boos with his Dark-Light Device. Pressing the button on his flashlight, the rainbow streak glowed towards the strange trail. Boosement whined when the light hit his eyes, revealing himself to the ghost catchers.

"Daisy, get ready to attack! You can grab their tongues with the hose!"

"As long as I don't have to touch it with my hands, I'll be ready!"

Once the white ghost was visible, Daisy went straight for him. She used the suction power to grab onto the Boo's tongue. With a full meter, Daisy used her power to repeatedly slam Boosement onto the floor. Gold bars and coins scattered from the impact. After a while, Boosement was able to escape, but his health depleted a lot from Daisy's attack.

"Man, that felt satisfying! Let's do it one more time!"

"We have to if we want to stop that Boo!"

"You were calling for me?" Boosement whispered into Luigi's ear, causing him to yelp. The Boo laughed in satisfaction that he petrified him. Colombo wasn't happy about that, so he charged at Boosement. Unfortunately, the Boo got away in time.

"Grr..." the Polterpup started to track him down again. He returned to the dryers and searched for any hints in the fog. Once he spotted another trail, Colombo called for Luigi and Daisy.

"I see it!" Daisy pointed. "I'll use the Dark-Light this time; you slam the Boo, Luigi!"

"Oh, boy..." the plumber gulped. He hated going near the spherical ghosts, but this wasn't anything new to him since he caught over eighty of them.

Daisy shined her own Dark-Light Device at Boosement. He groaned from the light before panicking as Luigi took a hold of his tongue. His fearful expression altered into an angry one as he slammed Boosement multiple times. With enough hits, Boosement struggled to escape as his body bounced off the G-00's nozzle.

"Gah! I... can't... get out!"

"Serves you right!" Luigi countered before officially trapping him. "Ooh, that took some work."

"You're right, but that's one Boo down!" Daisy smirked.

This time, the VB ringtone went off. Luigi put on the goggles and saw E. Gadd on the display screen. "A remarkable job well done! You were able to find and capture your first Boo of the hotel! Toad and I applaud you for your efforts!"

"Yeah! Great work!" Red squeezed into the frame.

Luigi chuckled a little, alleviating the stress in his body. "Thanks. We appreciate the moral support."

"Now then, there's a lot of ground to search for more Boos. You might as well return to the other five floors and catch them! If you need any help, don't forget to call the E. Gadd Hotline. Over and out!"

"Alright! Why don't we head up to the Grand Lobby? We can go one floor at a time," suggested Daisy.

"Sounds like a plan," Luigi concurred.

"Ruff!" Colombo was also on board as he dashed out of the Laundry Room. Luigi playfully rolled his eyes while Daisy held in a giggle.

* * *

_Location: 1F – Grand Lobby_

Because the hotel foyer was so large, the ghost hunters thought it would take a while to find the Boo. However, that was when they realized the other floors were much larger, and the ones above could be even worse. For now, they stuck together to see if the Goo would vibrate. Luigi and Daisy couldn't find anything on the east side of the lobby near the elevator. When they approached the front door, still barricaded with planks and chains, the vibrations became soft.

"If he's nowhere around this area, I have a feeling the Boo is hiding near the front desk," Daisy thought.

"You think?" Luigi shifted his head in that direction. "Hmm, it's worth a shot. Let's check it out."

Her guess seemed to be good as Luigi felt Gooigi rumble within the vacuum. Since the gate was down, Luigi performed a Burst to reopen it. The two opened some drawers until the Boo appeared in front of Daisy. Sadly, Luigi fell to the floor in shock again.

"Yoo-hoo! I'm GumBoo! Oo-wee! You found me! But y'all stay back now! I'm not a side dish! I'm a ghost who wants to eat your heart out!"

Luigi remembered hearing the name GumBoo in the Hidden Room of the first mansion. However, he couldn't tell if it was the same ghost or another Boo with a similar name. After all, every single Boo, aside from their king, hardly had any physical differences.

Daisy was just a second too late to shine him with the Dark-Light Device. She, Luigi, and Colombo hurried out to the lobby in hopes of finding the invisible ghost. This time, there wasn't any fog on the floor to give them an easy hint. However, Colombo could smell the Boo's scent. With his trustworthy nose, he was on the hunt. Reaching the west wing of the lobby, he barked near the concierge's desk. Luigi and Daisy hurried over to the Polterpup's location and shined their Dark-Light Devices. The latter was able to expose GumBoo as he hid near a box. Luigi waited until the Boo was stunned before he tugged on his tongue and slammed him ten times.

"Eeek!" GumBoo squealed. "That was a lucky shot in the dark!"

When he turned invisible again, Colombo instantly started sniffing. Crossing over to the sitting area in the east, the spectral pooch believed he found their target. Luigi was lucky with the aim as he uncovered GumBoo with his Dark Light. The Sarasaland princess had her vacuum ready as she pulled with all of her might.

"Wait! I cry uncle!" GumBoo tried to plead, but Daisy wouldn't budge. She copied Luigi's slam move until the Boo got stuck inside the Poltergust 5000.

"Booyah! That's two Boos in our collection! They can't mess with us!"

"Heh heh! That was great, Daisy! And of course, we wouldn't have found them if it weren't for Colombo," Luigi hugged his pet.

"Ruff!" the Polterpup happily whined from the embrace.

"I guess the Mezzanine is next because I don't think the Goo is vibrating around here."

"Hmm, from what I've noticed, maybe there's only one Boo hiding per floor, similar to most of the elevator buttons," Daisy presumed.

"Huh, I could actually see that. I guess we'll find out once we head up there," Luigi led the group.

* * *

_Location: 2F – Mezzanine_

When they didn't find anything on the west half of the second floor, the heroes explored the Dining Room and noticed a vibration from the Goo. After a thorough search, Colombo was the one to find the ghost in a trash can.

"I'm Booigi, number one! 'Waah, help me, Big Bro!' I was just impersonating you, green man! You're nothing but a coward!"

Luigi always felt insecure whenever he gets mocked. But to have this coming from a Boo was psychologically hurt his heart more. However, he wasn't going to let some choice words offend him. As much he wanted Mario back, the Boos were going to be a major distraction if he and Daisy don't catch them.

Fueled by self-motivation, the green man quickly shined his Dark-Light at his ghostly impersonator. He didn't even let Daisy get a chance to attack. Luigi handled the fight on a personal level by slamming the Boo onto the tables, destroying them in the process. Booigi underestimated his power as he got trapped in the vacuum with Boosement. The man removed his cap and wiped the sweat off his face. He embarrassingly glanced back at his friends.

"S-Sorry for being so aggressive back there," he twiddled his gloved fingers.

"What are you sorry for? You took out that Boo like a boss!"

He became flattered by her comment. "It was nothing special though."

"I disagree, youngster!" E. Gadd called him. "You showed that Boo that he can't impersonate or intimidate you!"

"Th-thanks, I appreciate it. Now that I think about it, that's the second Boo I've recalled from the first mansion."

"Interesting," E. Gadd murmured. "Maybe some of the Boos escaped from my old collection. It would make sense since all the other ghosts are roaming the hotel."

"Either way, that's another Boo caught! We're making great progress!" Daisy grinned.

"It'd be wise to revisit the other floors so we can worry less about them. Good luck on your ventures!"

Luigi and Colombo agreed as they all exited the Dining Room. Just when they were about to head towards the elevator, they heard some faint clacking sounds coming from the Entertainment Room. They glanced at one another before shrugging away from the thought. Suddenly, they heard a few bangs from inside the room.

"What was that?" Luigi blinked.

"I have no clue. Do you think we should check inside?"

"As much as I don't want to, I think we better see for ourselves."

"I'll be right beside. Colombo's here, too."

"Arf!"

As Luigi took a deep breath, he slowly opened the door. The last time they were in here, they had to catch a rat who stole the elevator button that Chef Soulfflé carried. Not only that, they also had a fight against some Oozers. Because of this, their first guess was that some more ghosts were playing billiards. To their surprise, however, a special Portrait Ghost was holding a pool stick, aiming at the cue ball.

It was a man with teal skin, yellow eyes, and purple hair. His attire consisted of a gray sweater vest with a white shirt underneath.

"Drat! What's wrong with my aim lately?!" the spectral player grumbled.

Luigi quietly gasped. "That's another ghost from the old mansion!"

"Who's that?" Daisy peeked from behind the door.

"Slim Bankshot. He's a competitive pool player from what E. Gadd told me."

The ghost went around the other side of the table and tried to hit a different ball into a pocket. He carefully lined up the shot, took his aim, and-

***CLACK***

He watched a yellow-striped ball ricochet off another with a blue-striped one. The second pool ball barely missed the corner pocket as it hit the wall and rolled a few inches away. Groaning from another missed attempt, Slim approached from a different spot and hit the cue ball towards the blue-striped ball. Unfortunately, it didn't move at the angle he expected. While the blue-striped ball rebounded off the adjacent wall, the cue ball accidentally landed into the pocket.

"Come on! That was not supposed to happen! Are these balls rigged to miss the pockets every time I hit them?!" Slim raged, tossing his stick onto the table. Luigi softly yelped when he heard the sudden slam. The ghost turned towards the sound. "Who's there?"

The green plumber was about to shut the door, but Bankshot quickly floated over to the entrance. He caught the heroes spying on him.

"What are you doing here? Can't you see I'm busy?"

Luigi started trembling as his knees couldn't stop moving. Since he was hiding behind Daisy, the tall ghost didn't notice him. The princess soon replied with a fib, "We're the housekeeping maids! We're here to clean each and every room so this hotel stays tidy and clean, especially for people who like playing billiards!"

"Hmm, I prefer to use the term, 'pool'. But if that's the case, then go right ahead. But do not distract me from my game!"

"No problem," she watched Slim return to the table before sneering to herself. "Ha! I can't believe he fell for that! C'mon, Weege. Let's wait for the right moment to capture him."

"I-If you say so..."

Daisy and Luigi ambled past Bankshot without getting in his way. The two pretended to suck up dust bunnies in the corners. Every now and then, they heard the clacking sounds of the pool balls. Although he struggled in the beginning, Slim's aim was improving, taking him back to when he became a dominating professional before his untimely demise. Since he became a ghost, he wasn't as skilled or accurate. But he had a place in his heart for the game he loved to play in his free time.

Eventually, Slim managed to sink all of the striped balls into the pockets. His next goal was to take care of the solids before the 8-ball. Suddenly, a Blue Twirler sneaked into the Entertainment Room and noticed Bankshot taking his aim. He silently chuckled to himself as he rubbed his hands. Creeping behind the pool player, he raised his fists in the air and slammed them to the ground. A shockwave threw Slim off balance while the pool balls flew in different directions. Luigi reacted in time to catch one of them with his Poltergust G-00.

"Son of a gun!" Slim shouted in frustration. He turned around to see the Blue Twirler guffawing. "What was that for?! If you weren't a ghost, I would whack you silly with my pool stick!"

The blue ghost ignored his comments and continued cackling.

"SHUT UP, YOU MONGREL!"

Luigi ran over to Slim with the pool ball still in the hose. He pointed the nozzle at the teal spirit and bopped him in the head.

"Gah! Again?!" Bankshot rotated to face Luigi. He scrutinized his clothing and the vacuum on his back. His yellow eyes narrowed. "Hey, wait a minute! You're not a housekeeping maid! You're that ghost hunter who ruined my game of pool! Why I oughta-"

"Hey, Slim Jim! Catch this!" Daisy shouted from the other side of the room. She blew a solid green ball towards the ghost. Slim wasn't able to react in time as he got knocked in the head again.

When he was completely dazed, Luigi shined his Strobulb and began sucking on Bankshot's tail. Colombo rushed over to stop the Blue Twirler from interfering. He pounced the large ghost against the wall so that Daisy could flash him with the light. She was successful as she fought the Twirler and slammed him once onto the pool table. Luigi was still trying to get a hold of Slim as the ghost grabbed his pool stick and attempted to swing at him. The plumber ducked in time, but his grip came loose. Bankshot escaped the G-00 before Luigi could slam him.

"I can't believe I got duped by you scoundrels! If I wasn't gullible, I would line up my cue ball right at your eyes and knock them out! D'oh!"

Daisy shined her Strobulb during his rant. "Sorry, Slimmy. But I don't _see_ you doing that to Luigi!" After an arduous scuffle between her and the ghost, the princess finished what Luigi started by catching the tail and slamming him onto the floor until he was out of breath. Slim couldn't escape the hose, and he wound up in the 5000 with GumBoo.

"Oh, yeah! You did great, Daisy!"

"Thanks! I think I'm getting better at wrangling those ghosts!"

"You definitely are since you managed to handle those Boos better than me."

"Yeah, but you're the expert in this. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be clueless on how to defeat them!"

"Heh, don't say that. You're very smart on your own. After all, you did some puzzle-solving earlier in the Hotel Shops."

"That's true. Speaking of which, that's our next stop in the Boo hunt! Let's get a move on! It's time to bust some more ghosts and ruin their _Boos_ cruise!"

"Really? You made a joke based on alcohol?"

"Eh, don't worry about it. I'm sure someone out there is gonna change the rating."

Although Luigi and Colombo had no idea what she was talking about, they rolled with it and exited the Entertainment Room. Back at the Grand Lobby, Luigi called the elevator. He soon went over to the panel, pressing the '**3**' button to revisit the Hotel Shops.

The man deeply inhaled, meditating in front of the mirror. He really missed Mario and Peach, and he knew that rescuing them was far from a walk in the park. While he prayed that they were okay, Luigi had to be patient. There were so many dangers that he, Daisy, and Colombo have encountered in just about a third of The Last Resort's levels. He needed to be cautious but also assertive against the Boss Ghosts and the Boos. And of course, he had to watch his back in case Hellen or King Boo had something up their sleeves.

_"Fratello, you've always been there for me. No matter how many times these ghosts will freak me out, I'll do anything to get you back safely."_

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_What's a Luigi's Mansion game without some Boos? Although the Boo cutscene took place before the Amadeus battle, I saved it after they freed Red Toad. In the game, they always appear after obtaining the next elevator button. But for the future levels, I'll have them catch the Boos either before or after the boss fights so they don't have to backtrack too much. As a fun fact, a few of the names were taken from the first game, including Booigi and GumBoo._

_Also, I omitted E. Gadd's shop since it's not too indispensable for the story. Maybe I'll include a Gold Bone in there, or maybe not._

_Anyway, Luigi, Daisy, and Polterpup took care of Floors B1 through 2F and captured the Boos in those areas. We also got to see Slim Bankshot here because I waited to utilize him in this side quest chapter. We'll have another one coming up as the trio will search for more Boos in the Hotel Shops, the Great Stage, and the RIP Suites. **Then**, we'll head over to Castle MacFrights on 6F._

_Thanks for waiting on this chapter. Be sure to favorite and/or follow the story for future updates. Leave a review down below to let me know what you enjoyed or if I made any errors. Until then, please stay safe out there. I'll meet you all again in Ch. 12 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	13. Ch 12: Boo-ting Gallery

_A/N:__ The good news is that I did fine on my latest exam which was taken online. The bad news is that I'm still not exempt from work. The only positive out of this is that my wage went up for the time being. But when I'm not working or studying, I try to get back to writing._

_Thanks to you guys, Hotel Horror has now reached **80 favorites**, **75 followers**, and **25,000+ views**! I'm thankful for all of your support. Now let's get moving as we resume our Boo scavenger hunt! Along the way, we'll encounter some more Portrait Ghosts!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own any rights to Luigi's Mansion or the Mario characters._

* * *

**Chapter 12:** Boo-ting Gallery

_Location: 3F – Hotel Shops_

As he shifted his thoughts about Mario off to the side, Luigi paid attention to his Poltergust as he waited for a vibration from Gooigi. By the time he, Colombo, and Daisy exited the elevator, the Goo remained stationary. Not a single movement indicated that a Boo was hiding in the Elevator Hall. Even when he ambled near the restrooms, Gooigi didn't react whatsoever.

"If that Boo isn't in this area, he has to be in the shops," the man in green deduced.

"Or he could be hiding in the Security Office," Daisy proposed.

"That's true. Colombo, do you have any leads?"

Although the Polterpup can't detect Boos as well as the Goo, he started sniffing near the revolving door. His nose picked up some kind of scent, but Colombo couldn't figure out who or what was nearby. He let out a soft bark before heading towards the mall.

Daisy and Luigi promptly followed the ghost as they reached the west half of the floor. Immediately, they spotted Colombo inside the Boutique. He moseyed around the perimeter until he stopped at the back corner. Beside him was a tassel. He didn't recall seeing it there before. Then again, he and Gooigi were more focused on the key before it got stolen by the horde of Mini Goobs. Feeling suspicious, Colombo yapped at his owner.

"I think that's a cue for you to become Gooigi," Daisy assumed.

"Whatever he found, it could either be important or trivial. My only problem is that the vibration doesn't feel strong here."

"Might as well check at least."

Luigi nodded and pressed the green button on his vacuum. As Gooigi ejected out of the Poltergust, he entered inside and joined his pet. He got a hold of the tassel and walked back until he couldn't go any further. At the same time, Gooigi could've sworn he heard something behind the wall. Once he tugged on the rope, the barrier disappeared, revealing a secret changing room with a mirror. To their surprise, a ghost was inside.

It was a pale blue ghost with tiny, yellow eyes, plump cheeks, and a brown jacket. He was staring at his reflection, unaware of Gooigi and Colombo standing near him.

Suddenly, a scream echoed from the Virtual Boo's microphone. "Gah! Who's that?!"

Luigi's sleeping body didn't react whatsoever since he was controlling his gooey counterpart. However, he was able to hear Toad's shriek. **"Did you have to scream that loud?!"**

"Huh? Who's there?" the spirit turned to his left. "Bah! Excuse me! Can't a man have some privacy here?!" he shook a fist in the air.

"Why, that's Uncle Grimmly!" E. Gadd acknowledged. "I know he's a fan of mirrors and rooms with a variety of clothing, but even I didn't expect him to be here! Nonetheless, he's another Portrait Ghost that Hellen and his staff released from my collection!"

"I recognize that voice from anywhere. It's that nutty, old professor!" Grimmly's pupils narrowed.

"Did he just call me, 'nutty'?"

"He also called you, 'old'," Red Toad whispered.

"...You didn't have to mention that."

"Where is that rusty chap? How is he even talking when he's nowhere around you creeps?!"

"Hey, who are you calling a creep? There's a mirror right in front of you, in case you haven't noticed!" Daisy quipped.

Grimmly floated over to her without exiting the Boutique. He gave her a disapproving glare through the metal gate. "Aren't you supposed to be a princess with that crown on your head? I would expect better behavior and proper attire from a lady like you."

"My royal status may come first, but I've got more important things to deal with first. I'm here to help my friends escape from this haunted hotel! And ghosts like you are the reason why we're here to stop this madness!"

"What did I even do to disturb you?"

"We have to get you back into your painting with the others. If I could break into the store, I would suck you up without even batting my eyelids."

"Pfft! I'll believe that when a Goomba can grow arms! You don't intimidate me, missy. In fact, you should be frightened by my crankiness and hair-raising appearance! It's why I drift alone around these parts."

"Yeah, _that's_ the reason why you're isolated."

"By gum, you have no manners!"

Daisy was about to retort again, but then she noticed Gooigi tiptoeing behind the ghost. Somehow, he wasn't able to hear the soft, sloshing sounds of his gooey boots. Gooigi silently charged the Strobulb. The orange princess chose to turn away and cover her eyes so she won't be blinded.

"Ha! You _are_ afraid of me! Of course, no one knows that better than me. Now then- GAH!"

**"That's where you're totally wrong. Daisy doesn't get scared of ghosts; I do! But that won't stop me from getting them out of the way!"** Gooigi grunted as he began tugging on Grimmly's tail.

"Augh! That suction power is stronger than the old vacuum. This is not fair!" the ghost flailed his arms.

Gooigi struggled to keep his feet planted on the floor, so Colombo tugged on his leg without accidentally eating the Goo. Keeping him steady, he let Gooigi do the rest. The clone in green walloped Uncle Grimmly without breaking any of the tables and displays. The pale ghost escaped out of the hose after a few slams, but he instantly became fatigued. He wasn't as fast as he used to be. Grimmly tried to stay invisible so he could avoid the Poltergust. However, Colombo recognized his scent, eagerly sniffing with his nose. The dog realized he was heading outside of the Boutique, sneaking behind Daisy.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

The princess didn't understand until Grimmly reappeared with his hands in the air – as if he was trying to trap her. She emitted a weak flash of the Strobulb out of impulse. Even from that, Uncle Grimmly was immobile.

**"Daisy! Now's your chance!"** yelled Gooigi.

She got the message and used her Poltergust 5000 to suck Uncle Grimmly. The ghost screamed in agony as he couldn't get away.

"You'll regret this, I'll tell you! You better let me go!"

"In your dreams, Uncle Creepy!" Daisy snarled before slamming him into the bushes. By then, he was officially trapped inside her vacuum. Colombo rejoined her outside the Boutique, barking happily at her. Gooigi pressed the button twice on his vacuum to return inside the G-00. Luigi's body awoken as a result.

"Good job taking care of him. I thought I lost him for a second."

"Glad I could back you guys up!"

"It just goes to show that you exhibit amazing teamwork," E. Gadd praised. "I'm satisfied you were able to capture another ghost from the first mansion. All that's left is the Boo on this floor."

"I don't feel the Goo reacting down here. It has to be hiding upstairs somewhere," Luigi assumed.

"Might as well head on up there! I'll let you guys do your thing as always!"

Once the professor left the call, the trio rode the escalator to the upper level. They didn't perceive any vibrations when they reached the Gift Shop, the Accessories, or the Coffee Shop. The last place they haven't searched was the Security Office. True to their suspicions, the Goo reacted significantly when they re-entered Kruller's resting area. They checked the safe, the desk, and the security cameras, but the Boo didn't reveal himself in any of those spots.

"He might be hiding inside the Lost and Found. You and Colombo will have to take care of this one, too."

"You're probably right. Let's go, boy," Luigi said before falling asleep. Gooigi came out of the tank and squished through the bars. Colombo hopped through with ease as the two deliberately searched through the assorted mess. Their first instinct was to search inside the trash cans. When they had no luck, Daisy suggested checking underneath the boxes. Gooigi's body jiggled as he went to the southeast of the Lost and Found. Colombo tipped the cardboard box with his nose. Sure enough, the Boo in 3F came into view.

"Hi-yah! I'm Kung Boo! Bow to your sensei if you want to live!"

Neither Gooigi nor Colombo had any plans to surrender or obey the white ghost. They waited around as the former shined his Dark-Light Device. Daisy helped by shining her own through the metal gate. While she couldn't cover a large area, nor could she shine towards the back of the room, the princess didn't want to be left out. Luckily, she was able to pinpoint the Boo's location as she exposed him.

"Luigi! Er, I mean, _Gooigi_! He's right here!"

He heard Daisy's call and appreciated her help with a thumbs-up. Gooigi quickly ran over to Kung Boo and tugged on his tongue. Ten slams later, the Boo whined before making a scowl.

"Grr! That's no way to respect your teacher! You don't want to suffer a cruel fate with my martial arts skills, do you?"

**"Since when do you know martial arts?"** doubted Gooigi.

"You're underestimating me just because I'm a Boo, huh?"

**"I never said that!"** he raised his hands in defense.

Kung Boo growled before he disappeared. Gooigi ran around the Lost and Found as he felt his body vibrate again. Seconds later, he caught the Boo in the northwest corner with his Dark-Light. Grabbing his tongue once more, the green clone grunted every time he smashed the Boo onto the floor, causing the miscellaneous items to fly all over the place with the gold bars Kung Boo left.

"You conniving, jelly monster! If I had my samurai swords, I would easily cut your gooey head off your body!"

**"That's a bit too graphic for my taste, but there's just one problem."**

"And what's that?!"

Gooigi simply stared at the ghost, whose tongue was still stuck inside the hose. **"Omae wa mou shindeiru."**

Kung Boo's eyes shrunk in fear as he realized what he said.

"Nani?!" He squealed loudly when Gooigi sucked him inside the vacuum. After his quick battle, Gooigi reunited with Daisy and his dozing self before he went back into the container.

"Never in a million years would I expect you to say that line," Daisy smirked.

"Did I sound cringy when I mentioned it?" his shoulders slouched.

"We'll let the others decide that."

"Others?"

Daisy chuckled. "You're so funny, Luigi. Come on! Let's head back to the Great Stage!"

Luigi was still puzzled as he watched Daisy run ahead. He stared down at the Polterpup who simply panted next to his leg. Shrugging to himself, he and Colombo followed Daisy to the elevator. Before they could advance, they captured a pair of Purple Punchers that blocked their way. Unfortunately, the spirits were no match for the plumber, the princess, and the Polterpup.

* * *

_Location: 4F – The Great Stage_

Not too long ago, the ghostbusting trio was able to catch Melody and Amadeus in the floor's Auditorium. Luigi assumed the place would be peaceful and quiet, but another faint tune rang in his ears.

"That's odd. Who could be playing this time?"

"Can you recall any other ghost who can play the piano? Or do you think Red Toad decided to carelessly head back up here for an encore?"

"As far as I know, he doesn't play the piano. Nor can he drive a bus properly," he shuddered.

Going down the corridor again, Luigi was relieved that a Goob wasn't messing up the carpet like before. But the lights shining over the picture frames and instrument displays started blinking. He wasn't sure if some new ghosts were around the area or if the light bulbs were defective. He and the others returned to the Auditorium, pushing the giant, golden doors open. The empty spacing was the same as before since all of the chairs broke from Amadeus's fury. However, a new piano stood center stage as the keys moved up and down, creating a melodious yet ominous tune.

"Am I experiencing déjà vu or something?" Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Who exactly is playing if Amadeus and Melody are caught?"

Suddenly, a pair of tall ghosts materialized in the middle of the Auditorium. One was a woman with a long-sleeved green dress. The other was a male who wore a red jacket, a purple shirt, and a bowtie. They were known as the Floating Whirlindas, a.k.a. the Dancing Couple. Luigi once encountered this duo in the first mansion's Ballroom.

"I must say, this is a perfect place for us to waltz around, right, darling?" Mrs. Whirlinda batted her green eyes.

"Indeed," Mr. Whirlinda. This feels a lot more spacious to dance. I feel like I'm in my twenties again! How I miss dancing with you."

"I feel the same way, my wonderful, handsome hubby."

"And you're nothing but beautiful, my sweet green bean."

Luigi stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Bleh, I think I'm gonna be sick."

"What's wrong with dancing?"

"I'm not a dancer myself. But it's not just that. I'm more uncomfortable with the whole love talk."

"Well, someday you're gonna have to deal with my sweet nothings by the time I marry you," the princess grinned at him, her eyes half-lidded.

"Excuse me?!" Luigi's face flushed in red.

"Yeah! Then I'll force you to get on your feet and show everyone your cool moves on the dance floor!"

"D-Daisy! Do you even know what you're saying?!"

"I'm just kidding with you again, Luigi! I know we hang around often, but it's too early to talk about that. I'm just saying it hypothetically, you know?"

"O-Oh..." he scratched his head in embarrassment. "...I knew that."

"Sure you do," she snorted.

"Excuse us!" Mr. Whirlinda hollered, catching their attention. "We're having a moment with our dancing, and you are interrupting it!"

"Can't you buzz off and have your annoying conversation elsewhere?" Mrs. Whirlinda muttered.

"Wait a second," the husband got a closer look at the man in green. Luigi leaned back with his hands clenched at his hips. His teeth chattered as he failed to keep his composure. "Why, it's that green-hatted gent we saw a long time ago! He managed to figure out how to capture us and ruined our dance!"

Mrs. Whirlinda soon recognized his face, too. "I believe you're right! What are you even doing here?!"

"Well originally, we were supposed to-"

"Ah ah ah! I want an answer from this man, not you," Mr. Whirlinda demanded.

"Fine. Be that way," Daisy scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"So, little man, what's your deal?"

"Um..." Luigi stuttered.

"Come on! Out with it!" Mrs. Whirlinda was losing patience.

"W-We were revisiting the floors of this hotel to find some B-Boos. We already found some in the levels below this one. N-Now we're here to find the Boo on this floor."

"Do you believe this man, darling?" the woman glanced at her significant other.

"No. No, I don't," her husband bluntly replied. "Now, please excuse us from our moment, would you? We don't need any more distractions."

"What happened to the music anyway?" Mrs. Whirlinda shifted her gaze to the stage.

By then, a different spirit emerged on top of the piano bench. It was an orange ghoul with an oversized noggin. A disgruntled sound came from the ghost as he stopped playing for the past few minutes. He was clearly bothered by the fact his guests were unfocused.

Luigi recognized him as the Poltergeist. During his Dark Moon quest, he initially encountered the ghost in the Gloomy Manor's library after E. Gadd detected some paranormal activity. More specifically, they heard piano music playing. It sort of made sense to him that the Poltergeist was the one playing the composition this time. Similar to the other Evershade ghosts, the Poltergeist wasn't able to speak English. Instead, he made some noises, asking if he could continue his piece.

"Yes, please do," Mr. Whirlinda nodded. "Now leave us alone. If you try to pull any dirty tricks on us, we will haunt you in your sleep!"

"Please. I've gone through scarier things in my nightmares," Daisy placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't influence them!" Luigi whined. "They're gonna make mine a living hell!"

Meanwhile, Colombo snuck past the Whirlindas and climbed onto the stage. He turned invisible so the Poltergeist wouldn't see him. Earlier, when Luigi and Daisy were arguing with the ghosts, he was the only one who noticed the Goo somewhat reacting. His initial thought was that the Boo was hiding somewhere in the stage or in Amadeus's dressing room. Staying quiet, the Polterpup hopped through the door.

The orange ghost returned to his musical piece as the Floating Whirlindas twirled around the Auditorium. Luigi recalled that these ghosts were vulnerable when they executed a dance pose. However, the Whirlindas became hidden so they wouldn't be exposed to the ghost hunters. He prompted Daisy to have their backs face them until they were visible again. Despite this, he had an uncanny feeling that another ghost was going to sneak up from behind and scare the crap out of him.

It's only happened... well, almost every time.

Luigi remained patient as he heard the notes echo in the large hall. He carefully took a peek over his shoulder as the ghosts waltzed from one side to the other. The Whirlindas conjoined hands with each other before they each leaned back from their move. That was when Luigi acted quickly and shined the Strobulb.

"D'oh!"

"Eek!"

Daisy heard the shrieks and joined Luigi's side. They each grabbed a tail into their vacuums. The princess got a hold of the wife while Luigi took care of the husband. They simultaneously slammed each of them on the ground until they were separated from each other.

"If you're gonna catch me, you better let my wife remain unharmed!" Mr. Whirlinda boomed furiously.

"Yeah, about that..." Daisy innocently remarked.

"Darling! She won't let me go!"

"You'll both pay for this!"

Luigi and Daisy trapped the spouses in their vacuums, officially ending their dance. When the Poltergeist realized the couple was gone, he was both disturbed and frustrated. Using his telekinesis powers, he sought revenge by levitating the sheet music from the piano stand. He dispersed them in different directions. Luigi yelped as one of them nearly gave him a paper cut on his cheek. Thankfully, he evaded the attack and vacuumed up the sheets. When that didn't work, he broke the piano keys and shot them at the ghost hunters. The plumber used his Burst to stop them from flying towards him and Daisy. The princess ran up to the stage and tried to flash him. She was unsuccessful when the Poltergeist grabbed a book and blocked the attack.

"Luigi! Help me out here!" she beckoned.

"If you can shoot a plunger at the book, that should make him vulnerable to your flashlights!" E. Gadd recommended.

The man followed his instructions and ran over to Daisy's side. Aiming with the Suction Shot, he was able to fire a plunger off the face of the hardcover. He tugged on the rope to get rid of the Poltergeist's shield.

"Thanks, Luigi! Now it's time for his curtain call!"

The big-brained spirit squawked from the flash as he got stuck in the Poltergust 5000. Once she got a full meter of power, Daisy thumped him against the piano, destroying the entire instrument. The Poltergeist growled in discontent as he was now stuck with the female dancer.

"I bet Mr. Whirlinda won't be happy that a different ghost is with his wife," Daisy joked.

"That'll be very awkward," Luigi commented before waving it off. "Now that we're finished with those ghosts, we have to find the Boo."

From within the Dressing Room, they heard Colombo bark loudly. The two rushed over in time as they spotted Colombo growling. The reason why floated in front of him.

"Ta-da! I'm Boogie! Ain't this hotel pretty swanky?! You better say 'yes' because it is, especially when our king is awaiting your imminent doom!"

"We'll see about that when we trap you and your fat, freaky ruler!" exclaimed Daisy.

"Hey, King Boo isn't fat! He's just... big. And spherical. Yeah, spherical!"

As Boogie went into hiding, Luigi and Daisy tried to track him down with the Dark-Light. To their benefit, they didn't have to cover a lot of ground unlike the Lost and Found. Luigi unveiled Boogie near the piano in the back corner. He slammed his body onto the carpet as gold coins spawned from the hits. Daisy didn't give Boogie a chance to escape as she also grabbed the tongue with her hose. Copying Luigi's actions, she caught Boogie bouncing off the nozzle before he got stuck.

"Reee! I failed you, Your Ghostliness!"

Daisy wiped her forehead once she was finished. "Man, I honestly think that's the easiest Boo we've caught so far."

"As long as we keep up this pace, catching all of them will be easier than I thought," Luigi noted with a grin. "And good job finding that Boo, Colombo!"

"Arf! Arf!" He gave his owner another lick on the cheek.

* * *

_Location: 5F – RIP Suites_

Minutes later, the trio reached the fifth floor once again as they searched for their sixth Boo in the Last Resort. Luigi opted to head down the hallway where his suite was, but the Goo didn't indicate anything near Rooms 501 through 503. They soon backtracked to the eastern hallway, but not before they took down some Golden Ghosts, Goobs, and Greenies that flooded the RIP Suites. Going past 504, 505, and 506, Luigi was running out of places to explore. That was until he stopped in front of 507, the unfinished flat. As the vacuum shook from the Goo inside, the plumber had an inkling he was finally on the right track.

Entering the room with Daisy and Colombo, they were surprised to see most of the construction equipment was pushed off to the side. In the corner was a female ghost. She had well-groomed blonde hair, a pink bathrobe, and lots of makeup. The spirit was known as Lydia, the Mirror Gazing Mother. But instead of seeing her reflection in a mirror, the ghost was peeking out the window while standing next to a crib.

_"That's odd. I don't remember seeing that here,"_ Luigi thought.

Simultaneously, Lydia was carrying something, or rather _somebody_, in her arms.

Luigi barely caught a glimpse of a baby's face. But it wasn't just any baby. It was Chauncey. This spoiled apparition threatened to kill the plumber with his toys after shrinking him inside his crib. He was known for having temper tantrums and being jealous of adults who were taller than him.

Even though he was just an infant, Chauncey gave the plumber nightmares. He was the reason why he never stepped foot near a rattle or a rocking horse.

Suddenly, another ghost emerged from the bathroom. Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo quickly hid behind the work table as they watched a male floated over to the woman. It was Neville, otherwise known as Lydia's husband and Chauncey's father. The tall, lean ghost wore a blue bathrobe and was carrying a novel in his hands. Luigi recalled that he was quite a bookworm.

"How's Chauncey doing?" Neville whispered to his spouse.

Lydia sighed. "He's finally asleep. It felt like an eternity since he wouldn't stop fussing."

"I mean, he can be restless. He's the youngest of our family after all."

"Which reminds me, where did Henry and Orville go?" Lydia referred to their twin boys.

"The last time I saw them, they were fooling around in the movie department on the eighth floor. They wanted to explore more of the hotel, so I let them go."

"You mean you left them unattended?!" she hissed.

"Excuse me, but don't pretend that I'm the irresponsible parent. Need I remind you that you lost the boys in the Hotel Shops because you were busy fantasizing about your hair growing longer!"

"Well, I had this new dress I got from the Boutique, and I thought it didn't look nice on me unless I grew more of my hair out. I have to keep it not just clean and beautiful, but also have it at the perfect length!"

"And that's a bigger priority than looking after our sons?"

"You know, I'm not the only one who's negligent. You are always in the middle of some cheap, fantasy book that no one cares about. Because you're so entranced, you also lose our children to go wandering off to who knows where!"

"Lydia, keep your voice _down_. You're gonna wake the baby," Neville enunciated.

"What about yourself? You tend to burst out loudly on numerous occasions."

"God, I know my parents can be strict, but I would hate to have them as my mother and father," Daisy spat in disgust.

Luigi felt the same way back when he and Mario were kids. Pushing that trivial thought aside, he continued to hear the parents quarrel. More importantly, the Goo in his vacuum juddered. It was impossible to search for the Boo without getting caught by either Lydia, Neville, or both. Rather than hide forever, Luigi went for a bold move. He took a nearby wrench from a toolbox and threw it towards the wardrobe. The clanging sound on the carpet caught their attention.

"What was that?" Neville set his book down on the dresser. Lydia carefully set Chauncey down in the crib to follow her husband. The male ghost leaned over and picked up the metal tool off the floor. "I don't remember seeing this here."

"Do you think that someone is trying to pull a prank on us?"

"If so, it's neither funny nor clever."

With their backs still facing them, Luigi quickly tiptoed over to the parents. He got his Strobulb ready to stun them. However, while he managed to frighten Lydia and Neville with the flashlight, it woke Chauncey up who started screaming.

Neville was displeased when he spotted the green plumber again. But he was more annoyed at the fact that his son was bawling.

"You meddlesome ghost hunter! I oughta-"

Luigi interrupted him by sucking up his tail. Colombo rushed over to pull back on his owner's leg again since Neville was making him struggle. Daisy went for Lydia who was still in the middle of her stunned state. She shrieked as her hair went flying in different directions, messing up her style.

"NO! My gorgeous, groomed hair! It took me _hours_ to get it straightened out!"

"Please! I don't even take that long to do my own hair. I'm not self-obsessed like you!" Daisy grunted before slamming her onto the work table.

Luigi and Colombo were able to trap Neville by slamming him near the wardrobe. After thanking his pet, he shifted over to the crying baby who got out of his crib. His angry expression and loud cries made Luigi perturbed.

"It's you again! You were so mean to me when I just wanted to play! But you go ahead and abuse me like the meanie you are! You also got rid of my mommy and daddy!"

"You hit a baby, Luigi?" Daisy was shocked to hear such a thing.

"I never meant to hurt you on purpose, but you were trying to attack me with your teddy bears!" Luigi defended.

"Yet you whacked me in the face with my ball! This is why big people like you are annoying!" babbled Chauncey.

"Geez, Luigi. Do I have to report you for child abuse?"

"Daisy! As much as I seriously regretted my actions back then, this is not the time to talk about this!"

"Green Hat is right. It's time for me to get my revenge on you instead! Now stand still so I can freak the overalls off of you!"

"Yow!" Luigi got hit in the head with Chauncey's rattle multiple times. He fell backward near the tarp-covered wall, backing into a corner as the infant screamed in anger.

"Aw, is the widdle gween man scared of me? Don't be such a crybaby!"

How ironic that _he_ asked that.

Luigi attempted to flash him with the Strobulb, but he couldn't stun him since he was blocking the light with his rattle. He didn't want to repeat his barbaric actions. But if Chauncey can be knocked out by one of his bouncing balls like before, he probably had to do it again. Looking around the unfinished suite, he barely spotted a ball near the bathroom door. He quickly got up on his feet and ran away from the crying toddler.

"Hey! Get back here, you old man!"

"Daisy, distract him for me!"

"I'm on it! What's up, Chance? You wanna play some Peek-a-Boo or Patty Cake?"

"My name's _Chauncey_! And I don't wanna play with you! You're just as stupid as that green man!"

Daisy was offended. "Okay, no more Mrs. Nice Princess. You wanna get sucked up again?"

"You don't scare me, hag! I'm better scaring people than any other person in the world!"

"Oh, that's it... Luigi! Hurry up!"

"S-Sorry! I'm coming!" he carried the ball with his hose. He aimed right at the baby's face and let it blow.

"Owie! You hurt me again!" Chauncey whined.

Daisy didn't bother to express sympathy as she started to drain his health. At the very least, she refrained from slamming him onto the ground since she didn't think that was the smart thing to do. Nevertheless, the princess wanted the baby to be out of sight.

"Are you okay, Daisy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" she called. "Just go search for the Boo!"

Luigi nodded as he ran inside the incomplete bathroom. Gooigi began to vibrate heavily when he stepped near a broken toilet. As Colombo sniffed near the broken tank, a Boo appeared in front of them, frightening Luigi.

"Arf! Arf! I'm not a Polterpup! I'm Boolldog! Watch out for my nasty bite because I'm off the chain! Ruff!"

Colombo didn't like his impersonation, so he tried to jump at the Boo. He ended up missing and landed inside the bathtub. Luigi shined his Dark-Light all over the cluttered mess until he was able to reveal Boolldog near the cracked mirror. After a few minutes of slamming, Boolldog growled at Luigi with his tongue inside the hose.

"Argh! This is no way to treat your pets!"

"Yeah, but you're not my pet, nor are you one in the first place!" Luigi countered as he trapped him inside the G-00.

Colombo was satisfied now that the Boo was gone. He and Luigi returned to the suite as they saw Daisy taking care of Chauncey's antics.

"Waah! I hate you! I hate all adults like you! You're nothing but annoyances!" he screamed before he got sucked into the 5000.

"Good lord. I never want to deal with babies like him again," Daisy groaned.

"Now do you understand what I had to do when I first met him?"

"In a way, yes. But I sure hope you don't hit any more infants with balls."

"I promise I won't. Either way, I'm sure karma is going to bite me in the butt."

Soon after, E. Gadd called Luigi on the Virtual Boo. With his face on the red display, he was pleased with the heroes' efforts.

"Fantastic job! Not only did you trap the Boos from B1 to 5F, but you've also managed to capture some more Portrait Ghosts from my collection! I can't thank you all enough!" the professor praised.

"Believe us, it was really tough to get rid of those ghosts. At least the Boos weren't too bad," Daisy commented.

"I would say your vacuums are filled to brim at this point! Why don't you head on down to the Lab and deposit them in my storage container? Then you'll be ready to take on a brand-new floor, posthaste!"

Luigi took out the '**6**' button from his pocket. He still kept it with him ever since he, Daisy, and Colombo caught Amadeus and Melody in the Great Stage. He figured he'll put in the elevator panel after they take a break. He wasn't too tired to go to sleep yet, but he was really exhausted from the ghostbusting – just like every other moment. Despite this, Luigi felt reassured that these Boos won't be a nuisance to him or his partners. Either way, he had more to catch while going up.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

Hellen Gravely temporarily left her Observation Room to blow off some steam. She threw another fit when Luigi captured more of her hotel staff as well as the Portrait Ghosts that roamed the lower levels of her hotel. Inside, Polterkitty laid on top of her chair, taking a quick nap. The spectral feline was still a bit salty that Hellen involuntarily hurt her. While she could've passed it off as an accident, this wasn't the first time the hotel owner showed disdain towards her.

Polterkitty reminisced about some moments in the past when Hellen was ticked off for a few reasons. She would chastise her staff for not building the hotel correctly, keeping everything clean and tidy, and most of all, not stopping Luigi and his friends. During those instances, Hellen occasionally took her anger out on her cat. Digging her nails against her body was one thing, but the purple-skinned female had broken or ruined some of her toys and valuables, such as her water bowl, feather wands, and scratching post.

Ever since she was adopted by the hotel owner, Polterkitty was at least grateful to have someone care for her. But for a while, her relationship with Hellen wasn't very... mutual, to say the least. Polterkitty has expressed her affections to Hellen, and the woman reciprocated those feelings. However, it wasn't the same ever since she was determined to please King Boo and capture Luigi. Hellen has spent too much time and attention to her ultimate task that the cat hardly received any love from her recently.

Just then, Polterkitty heard a low growl from behind. She opened one eye before lifting her head up from the chair. Peeking over the desk, she found King Boo with a nasty scowl on his face. He watched the security footage of Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo capturing his clan of Boos. Disgusted, another dissatisfied groan escaped his mouth.

"What good is that Hellen Gravely if she can't supervise or manage her hotel staff properly?! Not only are the ghosts incompetent against the Poltergust, but my Boos are dropping like flies! This is utterly humiliating!"

The king glanced down at the feline who meekly gawked at him. He retained his frown.

"The more progress that stupid plumber makes, the more ticked I am. Not only am I angry at him, but I'm also disappointed at your owner," he directed. "It's honestly pathetic that she's relying on other ghosts to trap my nemesis when she could do the work herself. If Hellen truly admires me for my work, the least she could do is capture him like I did to his brother easily! Three times, no less!"

Polterkitty was frankly petrified at King Boo's facial expressions. She had never seen him as appalled as he was right now.

"Let's keep this between you and me, shall we? Your owner will have a few more chances to get what I desire. If she fails, our temporary alliance will be history before she could say 'SHWEEERRPP-SHLOOOOP-WHOOORPP-SHLEEEOOORG!' And _that's_ a promise!" he threatened before leaving the vault.

The feline couldn't tell what King Boo was saying or referencing, but she understood the message. He was losing his patience by the second. Unless Hellen does something about this, she could face his wrath.

The only problem was that Polterkitty didn't know if she could care less or not.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_The chapter title is a reference to a Mario Party 8 minigame, so I did not come up with this. Also, Boogie and Kung Boo are some names that returned from the previous installments. Lastly, we got to see some more Portrait Ghosts from the first game (as well as Poltergeist from Dark Moon)! Hopefully, the minor battles were sufficient enough. Since this was a continuation to the Boo sidequest, I expect to upload the next chapter in a few days._

_Next time on Hotel Horror, our heroes will make their way to 6F to retrieve the next button. But they'll have to watch out if they want to avoid their heads getting chopped off! Be sure to favorite/follow the story for future updates. Please review to let me know what you think of this one or if I made any errors. Until then, I hope you all stay safe out there. This is TGN, signing off._


	14. Ch 13: An Arrow in the Knee

_A/N:__ Surprise! It's TGN presenting another new chapter of Hotel Horror right now! A big special thanks goes out to my friend, Crystal Rose of Pollux, for favoriting and reviewing. She has some incredible fanfics on her profile, including a rewrite of LM3! And I would highly recommend reading her Smash Bros. stories since they revolve around the 'World of Light' campaign. You won't regret reading them!_

_Last time, Luigi and his friends finished their Boo hunt on the previous floors, and they've caught some more Portrait Ghosts from E. Gadd's collection. Their next objective will be a lot more dangerous than anything they've faced so far. What's in store for our ghost-hunting heroes?_

_I forgot to mention that I bumped the rating to 'T' because there will be a scene that involves a somewhat graphic injury. I just wanted to warn you all._

_Also in advance, please forgive me as I will be using Old English for the boss ghost on this floor. If I've used it for New Brotherhood, I might as well add it in here, too. Keep in mind that not all the words are 'medieval talk'. Rose also helped me with the dialogue here, so another huge thanks goes out to her!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Spoilers to the sixth floor and the entire plot of LM3 moving forward will be found here. Please exit this page if you want to avoid this stuff. Otherwise, you can continue. Either way, I don't own anything that is Nintendo's property._

* * *

**Chapter 13:** An Arrow in the Knee

_Location: 6F – Castle MacFrights_

Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo returned to the lab and emptied their vacuums with all the Boos and Portrait Ghosts they've caught. Once they were finished, they returned to the elevator where the plumber inserted the '**6**' button to its respective slot. On the way up, the tracker revealed the name of the next floor: Castle MacFrights. While it intrigued the heroes, they had a strong feeling that the theme was nothing like Peach's Castle.

Once they reached their destination, Luigi was the first to walk outside the doors. He took two steps forward and-

***CLANG***

"Eeee!" Luigi became startled when a sharp halberd fell in front of him. Daisy and Colombo jumped back since they also didn't expect that to happen.

"God, my heart is racing!" Daisy held a hand over her chest. "Whose idea was it to place that in front of the elevator?!"

"I don't know! But I almost got split in half!"

Luigi peered over with his flashlight as he spotted a standing knight statue to his left. There was another on his right that held a blade. A couple of flags, tapestries, sword displays, and a lit fireplace were the main decorations of the elevator lobby, setting a dim atmosphere from within the brick walls. From what it looked like, he and the others have stepped into a medieval-themed level.

"No wonder the Last Resort is completely different than any other normal hotel. This place looks massive based on what the map shows. It's much larger than the other ones!" exclaimed Daisy.

Luigi took a gander using the VB goggles. He realized she wasn't lying when he saw that there were three individual levels in this gargantuan floor.

"Unless this place is linear, it's going to take forever to find the button!"

"We might as well get going."

The adjacent room they stumbled upon was blocked by a metal gate. Seeing that they had nowhere to go, they were confused on how to progress. Thankfully, Colombo jumped through the fence and yapped when he saw a rope contraption attached to the gate. Smiling at his pet, Luigi ejected his green clone and controlled him to slip through the bars. To the left, he tugged on the large rope, slowly pulling the Front Gate open. It led to a drawbridge and a door up north. While Gooigi was immobile, Luigi returned to his own body to walk past the gate with Daisy. Once they were clear, he summoned Gooigi back into the tank.

They soon walked down a small hallway with three arches that displayed suits of armor. Daisy noticed how the top-right spot was completely bare until she discovered a hidden one with her Dark-Light Device. After her sucking up the Spirit Balls, Luigi used a Suction Shot and slammed the armor onto the floor. A special, red gem in the shape of a sword came out of the debris.

"Ooh, nice find, Daisy!" he picked it up.

"Thanks! We haven't collected a lot of these, but they look pretty interesting!"

Entering the next chamber, the heroes gasped at the sight. They stood on the Coliseum Balcony with a huge view of a giant arena below them. Getting a closer view from the circular region, they froze when a ceremonious fanfare played out loud. Two Goobs blew a pair of horns before a new ghost emerged on the throne from across the ghost hunters. He had red facial hair, gloves, and a crown decorated with rubies sitting on top of his head.

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" he announced in a Scottish accent. "I am the most wondrous King MacFrights, the prime ruler and caretaker of this luxurious castle! I seeth we hast some special guests entering mine home! If I'm not mistaken, it's Luigi, the main VIP whom Hellen Gravely invited! It's an honor to meeteth thee, good sir," he bowed.

"What am I, chopped Turtley Leaves?" Daisy narrowed her eyes. Colombo felt the same way.

"In case thou were curious, Hellen Gravely madeth a generous offer to buildeth a castle for me to owneth! In exchange for such a fabulous prize, the lady gaveth me one simple responsibility. Alloweth me to point out the obvious, what exactly is mine objective? That, mine dear guests, is to maketh sure thou don't advance any further up the hotel!"

"And why would you even consider that?"

"Because I'm certain I hast the one thing thou desperately needeth!" King MacFrights taunted as he waved a shiny, circular object in his hand. Even from a far distance, Luigi's eyes bulged when he realized that the apparition was carrying an elevator button. "Oh ho ho! I can easily bid by the looks on thy faces that thou wanteth this in thy collection, aye?"

"Oh, no... We're not here for that. All we wanted was to get our heads chopped up by your precious, sharp axes," the princess replied sardonically.

"Daisy! Don't give him the wrong idea!" Luigi panicked.

Suddenly, several ghosts appeared behind the ghost hunters. An army of ghouls – all dressed up in armor – were holding weapons in their hands. They pointed the sharp edges at the heroes as they cornered them to the balcony's edge. Colombo barked angrily, growling his teeth as he stood in front of the humans. Just when the ghosts were about to swing at them, King MacFrights shouted.

"Halt!" he extended his hand forward. "Do not killeth these folk. Our master, Hellen Gravely, and her partner, King Boo, art the only ones allowed to settleth their fates." The ghosts begrudgingly obeyed his order. "As much as I wouldst loveth to receiveth bragging rights for stopping thee peasants, I'll striketh a deal with thee."

"A deal?" Luigi echoed.

"I challenge thee to an old-fashioned medieval joust. Meeteth me down at the Coliseum's base and taketh part in a glorious square to the death."

"What?! I thought you said you _weren't_ going to kill us!"

"As a king, I don't really maketh any promises," MacFrights snickered.

"What's the point in this duel anyway? What kind of incentive do we get out of this?" inquired Daisy.

"You can retrieveth this elevator button out of mine possession as long as you winneth the battle, fair and square! However, if you faileth to best me, I shall earneth all the credit of defeating thee! And if you don't wanteth to accepteth the challenge, that is if you're too _chicken_, thou might as well sayeth goodbye to your trapped friends..."

Luigi was at a crossroads. As much as he doesn't want to get pierced by a sword, let alone die in medieval combat, he needed that elevator button to progress and find the other Toads, Peach, and his brother. Since he was intimidated though, he couldn't come up with a proper response.

Daisy ended up doing the favor. "Luigi, Colombo, and I are not scared to take on your trial! Bring it on, Knight Shadow! Or... whatever your name is!"

"You dareth to acknowledge me by incorrectly stating mine name? Foolish! I can just bid you're determined yet incompetent," the royal ruler seethed as his burning, red aura amplified.

"I'll show you 'incompetent', MacDonald's. I'll also order a side of fries with our MacVictory!"

Luigi slapped his forehead in embarrassment. The king was raging before the Goobs calmed him down.

"Very well then. Maketh thy way down to mine own Coliseum. Enter the door to thy left behind thee," he gestured.

"Why can't we just go through the gate over there?" Luigi pointed to his right. He soon got his answer when the king snapped his fingers. His ghostly knights threatened the group with their axes and swords again. "Okay! Okay! We'll take the long route," he fretted.

"Mine own knights shall act as obstacles to testeth thy strength and courage. If thou can defeat them, then haply I'll bethink twice about underestimating thee. Either way, just maketh sure thou don't get killed along the way... Ho ho ho!" MacFrights chortled.

"Oh, boy..."

"Guards! To thy battle stations!" he directed. The ghosts nodded before heading through the western wall. King MacFrights laid back on his throne as the Goobs played their horns as a sign that he was finished with his speech.

"Come on, Luigi! How exciting is this?! We'll teach that arrogant king a lesson!" Daisy tried to get his hopes up.

The plumber didn't reply as he watched the metal doors open on their own, giving him access to the next area. Tightening his green hat on his head, he inhaled deeply before leading his friends into the Armory.

* * *

Right off the bat, Luigi shuddered when he saw two floating swords whacking against each other in midair. He didn't need to guess what was going on or who was holding the metallic objects. There were more weapons placed on racks in the dark room, consisting of spears, axes, and rapiers.

"Come on, Luigi. We'll just flash these stubborn ghosts like we normally do!"

"In case you aren't aware, I don't want to be impaled or scathed! You heard what King MacFrights said! He wasn't keeping any promises on not killing us!" he complained

"Technically, he said, and I quote, 'As a king, I don't really maketh any promises.' Unquote."

Luigi lowered his eyebrows. "Was that really necessary? Even with the accent?"

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo needed the ghost catchers to focus since a Goob and a Greenie became visible in front of them. A set of paranormal gates blocked the entrance and the door on the other side of the room. They both chuckled as they started spinning with their blades.

Luigi shrieked and ran off to the side while pulling Daisy's hand. As they barely evaded the attack, Colombo rushed over and stole the Goob's sword with his teeth. Unequipped, the blue ghost complained before he got stunned with the Strobulb. Luigi sucked up his tail and smashed him near a suit of armor in the corner. Daisy waited patiently for the Greenie to swing at her. Once he did, he immediately became dizzy and was vulnerable to her flash. The Greenie screamed as his body got sucked into the Poltergust 5000.

After the room was cleared, the gates disappeared, allowing them entry to the following area. They reached an old, cobblestone stairway that led to a wooden deck and a lower level. The trio saw a treasure chest on the other side, but they stopped when they nearly got pierced by some spikes that shot up.

"How are we going to open that? It could have something important like a key," Luigi rubbed his chin.

"Can't Gooigi walk through spiked floors? If his body is malleable to go through fences, can't he also be invincible from these?"

"I'm glad you asked that, Daisy!" E. Gadd exulted through the VB's microphone.

"Gah!" Luigi pressed his fingers into his earlobes. "Professor! Lower the volume on your end!"

"Whoops, my bad. There, that should do it. Anyway, Gooigi can indeed not only pass through tight spaces, but he can also walk through sharp stuff, including spiked floors! I have a good feeling that Gooigi will once again be supplemental to help you on your current quest."

Luigi took his word for it, even though he didn't truly trust the professor. After all, he locked him up in a freaking cage yesterday.

Nonetheless, he expelled Gooigi and walked over to the chest, passing through the spikes without any difficulty. He lifted the top, only to reveal some gold bars, bills, coins, and pearls.

**"That's not exactly what I expected."**

"It's not a key, but at least we're richer!" Daisy looked on the bright side.

As they went further down, a new set of spikes appeared in front of a door. A rope contraption was connected to the trap. Since Gooigi was still active, he walked over and pulled the rope to bring the spikes down. Daisy and Colombo were safe to traverse, but Luigi's own body needed to pass as well.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it for you," told Daisy.

Gooigi appreciated it as he let go of the rope and returned to the tank. With Luigi awake, he waited for Daisy to bring the spikes down, allowing him to cross.

"That was a pretty simple puzzle right there. If only the joust will be as easy as that," the plumber wished.

"How far are we until we get to the Coliseum?" Daisy wondered.

Luigi decided to check the map on his Virtual Boo. After examining the individual levels, he noticed they had a _long_ way to go.

"It says here that the entrance to the Coliseum is on Level 1 of this floor. We just arrived at Level 2 after descending the Stairway. Mamma Mia, there are so many rooms to explore that I'm going to faint!"

"Oh, ye of little faith, Luigi! We'll get through this together. I mean, this will probably be the most dangerous floor we'll explore. It can't get much worse than this, right?"

Luigi wanted to press 'X'. He saved his doubts to himself though.

Entering the castle's Cellar, they came across multiple barrels of tomatoes within the dimly lit room. Most of the larger ones along the back wall were covered with green lids. Because of how quiet, dark, and eerie the place was, Luigi had a suspicion that more of MacFrights's guards would spook him at any given point. He mindfully sauntered around the smaller barrels and opened the next door. Or at least, he _tried_ to. It was completely locked.

"So there has to be a key around here somewhere," Daisy mumbled.

"I would expect it's in one of the barrels. But if it's stuffed inside- YAAAH!" Luigi dropped his flashlight when an Oozer burst out of the barrel, destroying it entirely as several tomatoes scattered all over the concrete. He cackled before hiding in a different one.

"Ugh! I'm so over those stupid Hiders!"

"You're thinking of the wrong ghost, Luigi. The Hiders from Evershade are blue. That orange one is an Oozer," E. Gadd corrected him. "You've seen one before down in 2F if I'm correct."

"Like I care about the names of the ghosts! They still hide in places just to pop out of nowhere! D'oh!" he felt something smash into his face.

His perpetrator momentarily peeked out of the barrel, guffawing after he threw a tomato at Luigi. Red sauce, juices, and seeds spilled down to his brown boots.

"That was so _not_ cool! You wanna start a food fight?!" Daisy threatened as she hurled a tomato back at him.

He was able to dodge the attack, but he didn't appreciate her hostile move. The Oozer whistled to call in some reinforcements. A Greenie entered the Cellar while holding a shield and a sword. Meanwhile, a different green ghoul materialized in front of Luigi. It was a Garbage Can Ghost, joining the Oozer by littering banana peels on the ground. While they never directly attacked the plumber in the past, they truly made a mess. Luigi was always unlucky whenever he skidded on their discarded rinds.

Colombo swiftly cleared the floor so that the humans wouldn't slip. Spitting them out into a corner, he soon charged at the Greenie, causing him to drop his gear. Luigi chose to suck up the Garbage Can Ghost and implored Daisy to reveal the Oozer from his hiding spot. The princess nodded and pushed the barrel he was hiding in. Instead of flashing the orange phantom with the Strobulb, she retaliated by throwing another tomato at him. She beamed as her plan worked, and the ghost squealed from the direct hit. Daisy finished the job by slamming onto the neighboring cask. She soon took care of the Greenie when Colombo pinned him to the wall. As for Luigi, the man held onto this hose tightly when the Garbage Can Ghost struggled to escape. He was finally able to whack him into the middle barrel, smashing its lid. After trapping the ghost, Luigi found a sparkling key in a pile of tomatoes.

"Hey, just what we needed! Good thing we took care of those hooligans or else we would be searching for hours!" Daisy exulted.

"Yeah, I guess it's kinda funny how I found this on accident," Luigi scratched his head.

"What are we waiting for? We're one step closer to the arena."

He nodded and went over to the door, inserting the key. The following area was the Antechamber, more or less an empty room aside from some cardboard boxes, tapestries, and a large banner that depicted a profile shot of the ghostly king. The most noticeable part, however, was another metal strip that had spikes.

"Luigi?"

The plumber transferred his conscience to the gooey man. **"Say no more. I'll pull the rope over there."**

Once he reached the other side, he grabbed the ball with the hose of his Poltergust. But when he dragged it with him, the spikes didn't go down like the previous set.

**"Huh? Why is this not working?"**

"What happens if you pull on it?" Daisy wondered.

When Gooigi gave it a sharp tug, the rope loosened up to the ceiling. Then, four chained balls dropped from some secret compartments. One of them nearly hit Daisy in the head.

"AAAHH!" she ran away. "Holy crap... I could've suffered a concussion or something!"

In Gooigi's body, Luigi felt guilty. If he wasn't paying attention, the princess could've been hurt. **"S-Sorry, Daisy..."**

She glanced at him, befuddled at his apology. "It's not your fault, Luigi. I'm just saying that almost knocked me out, and I barely saw it coming."

**"Yeah, but... I was careless when I pulled the rope. If you got injured, I would be the one to blame."**

Daisy shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm perfectly fine, see? It's not necessary to make a big deal out of this."

**"Only if you say so."**

"I promise, you did nothing wrong."

That made Gooigi, or technically _Luigi_, smile on the inside.

Colombo yipped as he brought Daisy's attention back to the chained balls. She went over to pull them with the 5000, one at a time. Some money, swords, and spiders fell when she got the first couple of chains. After activating the last one, a trapdoor opened up in the corner.

"Luigi, let's head this way. Maybe there's a secret passage underground."

With Gooigi in the container, the plumber regained consciousness as he and Colombo followed the princess down the hatch.

"Eek! What the hell?!"

"Neat! It's a dragon!" Daisy exclaimed. "Ooh, but there's a giant cobweb in the way. How do we get through it?"

Luigi remembered how he had to burn a ton of spider webs in the Gloomy Manor by lighting them on fire. He discovered a torch on the ground, but there wasn't a flame nearby. Not even a Fire Flower could help him since he didn't have any in his arsenal. However, Colombo spotted a machine to the left with a blinking light. When he guided Luigi to flash it, a burning blaze lit out from a spout in the dragon's mouth.

"Good boy! We can light up this torch and burn these webs!"

"Awesome! Do you want me to handle it?"

"If you want to."

Daisy sucked up the torch with her nozzle and carefully brought it close to the flame. Slowly but surely, she brought it over to the cobwebs, scorching them in mere seconds. Reaching the other end, they found another ball attached to some rope. Luigi pulled it down, revealing a small ladder.

"Would you look at that? That should take us back up and past the spikes!" Daisy chirped. "Let's move!"

They took turns climbing the ladder while Colombo floated up to the surface. A dust cloud made Luigi sneeze as he entered the next room. He, Daisy, and Colombo found themselves on a wooden catwalk, high above the lower level. The princess spotted a fan on the northern wall.

"I wonder what this does," she sucked the air, causing it to rotate clockwise. Simultaneously, an elevator lift rose up beside them.

"Interesting..." Luigi snapped his fingers as he had an idea. "If this activates the elevator, maybe I should use Gooigi to spin the fan so we can reach the bottom!"

"That sounds like it could work! Guess I'm not the only one who's a good puzzle solver!" Daisy complimented, causing her partner to blush.

As the three rode on the lift, Luigi switched to Gooigi, running back onto the catwalk and blowing air onto the fan. As it spun the opposite way, the elevator traveled to the castle's lower level. The plumber went back to his body as they exited the lift. Yet once again, their path was blocked by a locked door.

"Seriously? How many of these does King MacDoofus have to make us go through?!" Daisy became frustrated.

Luigi was about to look for any clues until the wooden stocks behind him unexpectedly closed. Afraid that another ghost was haunting him, he went over to Colombo who was sniffing near the eastern wall.

"What is it, boy?" he crouched down with his hands on his knees.

The Polterpup seemed to discover something hidden, but he couldn't exactly tell what it was. With everyone clueless, Luigi decided to call the E. Gadd Hotline.

"Ah, Luigi! What's up, sonny?"

"Well, we made it to the lowest level of Castle MacFrights. But we're stuck in this room, and we need a key! We don't know where to go, yet Colombo senses something nearby."

"Hmm... I believe that the wall has an archway pattern. Perhaps there's a secret door that you need to reveal with the Dark-Light?"

Taking his advice, Luigi shined the rainbow beam at the empty space on the wall. Sucking up the Spirit Balls caused a coffin to appear. He soon realized that it acted as a doorway.

"Wow, I would've never thought of that!"

"Neither would I," Daisy added. "I guess the hotline proved to be helpful whenever we can't figure out the problem ourselves!"

"Truly. Thanks, Professor."

"Glad I could be of assistance!"

As the coffin opened, Luigi and Daisy squeezed themselves inside the tight space. The wall revolved so that the casket brought them to the Waterwheel Room. They awkwardly fell onto the concrete. Colombo joined them by hopping through the stone partition. After getting up and brushing the dust off her clothes, Daisy eagerly spotted a treasure chest.

"Hey, I bet that has the key! Come on, Luigi!"

Suddenly, his eyes widened when he saw three cloaked statues holding bows and arrows. Daisy didn't take notice of them as she got closer to the wooden platform. Luigi scuttled over and pulled Daisy back. The motions triggered the figures to shoot their arrows repeatedly.

"AUGH!"

Daisy fell back onto the floor as she heard him yelp in pain. "Luigi!"

The man whimpered softly as he crawled over to her where it was safe. He was unable to move quickly because he felt an intense amount of pain in his leg. Once he was out of range, the statues stopped firing. Unfortunately, the damage was done. Before he knew it, he adjusted his position so he could sit with his back against the nearby bench. Looking down at his legs, an arrow cut through the overalls, perforating his left knee.

Colombo and Daisy were horrified. The latter felt more guilty since she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. It felt even worse considering Luigi accepted the blame when those chained balls nearly hurt her, to which he didn't trigger on purpose. However, she _knew_ this was her fault.

"Oh my god... I'm so sorry, Luigi! I wasn't looking at where I was going!"

The man hissed again, clutching his kneecap. "Don't worry about me. At least you're safe."

"Don't be selfless. Just stay still."

Daisy lifted him up so he could rest on the bench. Then, she kneeled in front of the gash. She carefully gripped the arrow without putting a lot of force into it. As she attempted to pull it out slowly, Luigi couldn't bear the sting.

"Aah!"

"Sorry! Sorry! Ugh, this is going to be tough." She kept struggling to remove it from his skin, but every time she did, it only made things severe as the pain became intolerable.

"D-Don't pull it anymore. I'll just go through the rest of the floor like this."

"There's no way I'm gonna let that happen," she sounded stubborn but for a legitimate reason.

"Really, Daisy. It's no big deal."

"Yes, it is!" the princess denounced, causing him to flinch. She soon sighed with remorse. "I'm sorry again. I didn't mean to yell. It's just... I can't believe I didn't see that! I should've been warier, and I feel like I've always been careless at the wrong time. I appreciate you saving me, but it's not fair on your end. You got injured because I was stupid."

Luigi could tell from her tone that she was agitated and mad at herself. The princess hardly felt this way whenever she was around him or in general. And for her to say that she was dumb, he was shocked, for lack of a better term.

"Daisy, don't berate yourself. I know you were excited to explore the hotel and help me catch ghosts. And to your credit, you've done such a good job."

His words made Daisy contemplate for a moment. Eventually, her lips slightly curved upward as he continued.

"In fact, you've probably caught more ghosts than me at this point! It shows that you're brave and determined to help out when I can't do the job myself. Plus, it's nice to be with someone next to me. I've always felt comfortable when you, Mario, or Peach are around."

"Arf! Arf!"

"Oh, yeah. I can't forget about you, cagnetto," Luigi petted Colombo.

Daisy started giggling when he playfully licked his nose. "You really think of me that way?"

"Yeah. Actually, can I be honest with you?"

She sat beside him, feeling curious. "What's up?"

"Well..." he twiddled his thumbs. "When E. Gadd invited you to join me on catching the ghosts, I was actually against it. I was afraid that something bad would happen to you, whether King Boo, Hellen, or someone else would try to kidnap you again. Or even worse..."

He paused as he felt a shiver down his spine. While Daisy hasn't moved from her spot, she began to comprehend his inner feelings.

"The professor convinced me to believe in you. Frankly, I know you can be dependable, whether you're flying solo or when you're on a team. I should know better considering I got to pair up with you in sports events, or you would kick my butt in tennis and basketball."

"Heh, you do bring up a good point. I totally dominated in that one singles match at the Bask Kingdom."

"Hey! My shoelaces became untied halfway through the match!" Luigi whined.

"And whose fault was that?"

"I was more focused on you doing your special shot that I couldn't look down at my feet!"

"Yeah, and I remember you accidentally tripped when you tried to block it! You ended up breaking your racket!" Daisy burst into laughter.

"To be fair, I was in the lead during that game," his cheeks reddened.

"It was still a KO match, and I won fair and square," she teased back at him.

"Okay, okay, you don't need to rub it in my face again," he said in good fun. "Anyway, going back on topic, the point is that you've proven to me that I can't do this alone. I'm indebted that you've been with me this whole time. Again, I keep repeating this, but I don't think I would make it this far without you because I've had to travel through the other mansions by myself most of the time. I feel more relaxed when I have some company, you know? I need you, Daisy. Or I would drop dead if I was all alone."

The orange princess smiled before leaning towards him, pressing her lips against his. Even for how timid the guy can be, he had a way with words to make people feel respected and welcome. Considering she hardly joined his friends on perilous adventures, this was relatively new for her. But thanks to her man in green, she felt like an expert gleaming with confidence, ready to take on any obstacle. She eventually pulled away from their kiss.

First things first, she wanted to get that arrow out of his knee. Luigi nearly forgot about it until he felt the pain return in his left leg.

"Oh, man. It's starting to bleed," Daisy noticed. "If I can't pull it out, can Gooigi grab it himself? Or will that not work since sharp objects go through him?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Unless... I can transfer my conscience to Gooigi. That way, I can leave my body to fall asleep, and I won't feel the pain if you take it out quickly."

"I'm probably gonna regret this, but... if you're honestly okay with it..." Daisy wanted confirmation.

Luigi gave her a firm nod. He tapped the button on his Poltergust G-00, summoning Gooigi as he stood next to his sleeping form.

**"Just go for it. I trust you."**

Daisy furrowed her eyebrows, but she mirrored his nod. Exhaling deeply, she embraced the inevitable. Gooigi also let out a gurgling breath. Colombo closed his eyes and turned his head away. Once she was ready, Daisy gripped the arrow and pulled it out of his knee in a quick motion. She successfully removed the pointed shaft, but the momentum caused Luigi's body to fall forward.

She cringed. "Did _you_ feel anything?"

**"Surprisingly, I felt nothing. No pain at all! But maybe it will hurt when I return to my body."**

"Maybe you should stay like that for a while, just in case."

**"That's alright,"** Gooigi replied. Afterward, he took a closer look at the wooden platform.** "Hey, I think I know how to block these statues. I'll be right back."**

"Okay, take your time," Daisy said as he carried Luigi's dozing figure.

Meanwhile, Gooigi yanked a nearby rope, causing the wooden roof from above to lean down. As he walked across, he triggered the statues to shoot the arrows again. However, Gooigi was unharmed, not a single projectile damaged his viscous body. He used the Poltergust to pull on another rope. A giant log and the entire roof collapsed in front of the cloaked statues.

As he returned to his friends, Gooigi heard a tearing sound. He checked beside Colombo and his own body only to fathom what Daisy was doing. The lower half of her sleeves were torn off her white shirt. She placed them over the scarlet pool of blood, soaking up the mess. Daisy bandaged them over his wound.

**"W-What? Why are you-"**

"I needed something to prevent the blood from flowing."

**"But your shirt..."**

"No worries," she waved it off. "It's not like I'm ruining one of my royal dresses. I got this casual shirt at a thrift store anyway. It was quite a steal, too. Betcha don't expect a princess like me to be shopping in one of those places."

**"Well, thank you,"** he referred to the makeshift bandage.

"No problem! Even better, now those stupid archers won't impale us!" Daisy grinned.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

**"Not only that, we can get to the treasure chest over there! But I can't walk across the water because... um, you know."**

"Understood. I'll search inside the chest. You stay next to Colombo and... yourself."

Gooigi humbly chuckled as he watched Daisy rush over to the opposite end of the Waterwheel Room. Since the figures were blocked, traversing the platform was a piece of cake. Daisy was able to collect some money and the key that they were looking for.

**"Great! Now we can finally advance through the castle!"**

"Should we keep going right now? If you want, we can take a break," Daisy offered.

**"As much as I would like to, I think we should move while we can. If I feel any pain though, I'll let you know."**

"Sounds like a plan!"

Gooigi went into his storage tank while Luigi regained control. To be honest, most of the pain subsided, yet his knee felt somewhat feeble. As the trio returned to the Cage-Lift Room, they went straight for the locked door. Suddenly, they heard a creaking sound near the lift.

"Wait a second," Daisy paused. "Is it just me, or was the elevator down before we found the coffin door?"

Colombo and Luigi realized her point. "Yeah, you're right. I didn't rotate the fan though."

"Neither did I."

When the humans looked down at Colombo, he felt offended. "Ruff!"

Before any of them could figure out what was going on, the fan on the wall began to sputter, barely moving inconsistently as if it was jammed. Seconds later, it spun uncontrollably as the elevator crashed onto the bottom floor. Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo jumped from the unexpected slam. To make matters worse, they froze when a swarm of spectral visitors approached them. With swords and axes in their possession, they charged at the heroes.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Castle MacFrights was a very interesting level to traverse through. It's sad to admit that it took me forever to find the hidden coffin, but there are some future puzzles that I struggled with, and it's not even funny. Regardless, we're getting closer to the boss fight against the king of 6F. Will Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo stay alive before they can reach their destination? And who did the heroes come across from the elevator?_

_As always, I appreciate everyone for reading, reviewing, or both! Be sure to follow and favorite for more updates so you won't miss a single chapter. Until then, I'll see you in the second part of Castle MacFrights! This is TGN, signing off._


	15. Ch 14: Knighty-Knight

_A/N:__ After finishing my online class, trying to enroll a different online class this summer, cancelling my plans to visit my friends (twice), trying to balance my time, AND playing a ton of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, I'm back again with Part 2 of Castle MacFrights._

_I want to thank Crystal Rose of Pollux, Infinite's Ruby, animegamefanatic, XIII Hearts, Q, Tiger of Darkness, FireFlamerx9z, Superfloxes, Oderus, and Alex Wells for their latest reviews over the last two chapters. To BigPigBrig, TrimusciaDrag00n90, Almond-Walnut, Duskio, NarutoisNumber1Ninja, RedLink99, ItsReganingRain, MrMarioluigi1000, hesalreadyhere, and Colonel Shamrock, I appreciate the favorites and follows._

_Slowly but surely, we'll be getting closer to a floor that I disliked. For now, we'll see how Luigi will fare in the medieval joust. First, he has to make his way to the arena... And trust me, I'll stop with the Old English soon._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ You know the whole spiel. Nintendo owns the rights, blah blah blah. Also, they dropped a trailer for a new Paper Mario coming in two months... WAIT, WHAT?_

* * *

**Chapter 14:** Knighty-Knight

To Luigi's shock, a horde of ghosts came rushing out of the elevator lift that crashed beside them. A trio consisting of a Goob, a Greenie, and a Golden Ghost held their weapons in a threatening manner. Alongside them, they were two Grabbing Ghosts, colored in lavender and red, respectively. They donned medieval garb with King MacFrights's face on them. However, the one leading the charge was a Boo. He cackled in front of the ghost hunters.

"Thou mayest call me Boo-at-Arms! Per the king's orders, and I'm not referring to our glorious King Boo just so thou knoweth, we've cometh to impede thy progress from getting closer to the joust. That proper gent didn't wanteth to be easy for thee. Though, I'm certain he mentioned that to you."

"To an extent, he did," Daisy narrowed her eyes.

"Come, alloweth us duel with honor, Green Knight!"

Colombo leaned back, growling at the enemies. Luigi's knees buckled. The aches returned to his left leg. He tried his best not to tremble, but he couldn't help it.

Boo-at-Arms disappeared and let the other ghosts strike first. The Greenie made a mocking expression before swinging around with an axe. Luigi and Daisy sprinted in opposite directions to avoid his incoming spin attack. When the Greenie got dizzy, Colombo leaped at him and stole his weapon. The ghost shouted and shook a fist at the Polterpup. Daisy got close to him and flashed her Strobulb, sending the Greenie in shock as he got sucked into the Poltergust 5000.

Luigi waited for the Goob and Golden Ghost to make their moves. Their shields protected themselves from the light, so he used a Suction Shot to get them out of their possessions. The plumber ducked when the Goob lunged his sword at him. Unfortunately, the ghost got it stuck on a wooden post. Dropping his shield, he tugged with both of his hands to pull it out. As he struggled, Luigi easily shined his flashlight to stun the blue ghost and capture him. He repeated the process with the Golden Ghost as the spirit failed to land a hit.

All that was left was the invisible Boo and the Grabbing Ghosts. Speaking of which, Boo-at-Arms screeched loudly, startling the plumber.

"What's wrong, Luigi? Are thou too frightened to moveth on?"

Luigi only let out a yelp as he dove away from the lavender Grabbing Ghost.

"I think you're too scared to show your face off in front of us!" Daisy retorted, even though she looked like she was yelling at no one. But that was technically the point.

The white ghost scowled in front of her, catching the princess off guard. "Thou bethink yond I'm afeard?! Balderdash!"

He spun around like a tornado, hoping to knock Daisy down onto the ground. She hopped to her right to evade the Boo, but she found herself in the clutches of the red Grabbing Ghost.

"Ack! Get your grubby ghost paws off me!"

The red ghoul wouldn't budge, so Colombo tugged on his behind with his mouth. Growling at the perpetrator, he was able to pull him away, slamming him into Boo-at-Arms.

"Ree! Yond smarts! Haply thou art more competent than I anticipated. But yond won't stand ho me from attacking thee!"

"Geez, talk in regular English, why don't you?!" Daisy grunted, flashing both of the stunned ghosts. She pulled onto the Boo's tongue first since she was more annoyed by him. Luigi ran over to suck up the Grabbing Ghost. By the time the man trapped him, Boo-at-Arms was flying all over the Cage-Lift Room. Compared to the slams, it was different yet reminiscent of the times Luigi took care of the Boos in Evershade Valley.

A while later, the lavender spirit sneaked behind Luigi. He managed to grasp him around his torso and neck, preventing the man to breathe.

"D-Daisy!" he pleaded.

"Luigi! I'll save you!" The princess

He shrieked loudly from the suction power. Once he was gone, they tracked the Boo with their Dark-Light Devices. They found him near the wooden stocks.

"Cometh, Luigi! Accepteth thy fate and I'll fain locketh thee up in here!" he lifted the upper half.

"Over my undead body!" Luigi said with a hint of courage.

Boo-at-Arms flew over quickly in an attempt to freak him out. To his surprise, Luigi was barely fazed... at least on the outside. Since the Boo remained visible, the plumber released another flash of the Strobulb. Groaning and whining from the light, his tongue was pulled on a second time before Luigi unleashed his Slam move.

Boo-at-Arms couldn't escape the G-00's nozzle as he wailed, "Ack! Forgive me, mine own kings! I failed thee both!"

Luigi wheezed, losing his balance and landing on his bottom. "Mamma Mia... That was probably one of the most tiring fights I've dealt with."

"You're telling me that all those bosses you faced weren't as exhausting?" Daisy raised an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips.

The man embarrassingly glanced up at her, unable to form a coherent response. All he did was wheeze. That's when she almost forgot that he went through this recent battle with an injured knee. She was more caught up in the action than her partner. As the realization hit her, the guilt drowned her thoughts yet again. With a pitiful look, she helped Luigi stand up on his feet, checking up on his health.

"You okay, Weege?" she replied with concern. Colombo brushed up against his unharmed leg.

"Like I said, it was tiring for me. I'm still trying to catch my breath."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Don't keep blaming yourself," Luigi rolled his eyes. "We've got to focus on reaching the Coliseum. We can't keep Mario, Peach, and the Toads waiting any longer."

"You're right. I just wasn't thinking straight back then."

"Again, it's no worries," he gave Daisy a small, reassuring smile. It warmed her heart to know that Luigi wasn't entirely angry at her.

Unlocking the next door, the trio slowly sauntered into a dark chamber that was divided by a cell wall. As Daisy walked ahead, she was frustrated that they were stopped by another locked door. Behind the iron barrier was a metal chest. However, it was floating in a large pool of water. Luigi figured there was a key inside, but he didn't know how to retrieve it. If he used Gooigi to slip past the gateway, he wouldn't be able to reach the key without touching the liquid. Otherwise, he'd melt. He thought that Colombo could easily walk through it. However, he wouldn't be able to open the chest himself since he always had trouble unlocking things with his paws. There had to be a way inside.

"Ruff!" The Polterpup noticed another ball and chain near the sealed door.

"I wonder what happens if we pull on this?" Daisy scratched her chin.

"Only one way to find out."

Daisy nodded as she grabbed the ball with the Poltergust 5000. Using her strength, she pulled as far as she could until it couldn't move any further. Simultaneously, the iron gate descended, creating an opening for Luigi to enter inside.

"Great! I'll go open the chest."

Despite getting the bottoms of his overalls and shoes soaked, he unfastened the lock and pulled out a shiny, gold key.

"Hey! It's just what we're looking for!" Daisy grinned at him. However, she didn't see a new ghost creeping behind her.

Luigi's eyes widened. "Daisy!" he pointed.

"Huh? Hey!"

A Grabbing Ghost with turquoise skin chortled as he grabbed ahold of the Sarasaland Princess. As a result, the ball and chain were let loose, forcing the gate to reappear. But what petrified Luigi were the walls inside the cell. Spikes protruded out menacingly as the walls inched closer to him.

"Luigi! You gotta get out there!" Daisy shouted, struggling to free herself.

"I would, but the gate is back up!" he narrowed his eyes.

As if things couldn't get worse, there were two mini variants of the Hammer ghosts approaching the tomboy. They punched their fists together, eager to wallop Daisy without hesitation. Colombo wasn't going to allow that, so he pounced on the Mini Hammers to distract them.

Immediately, E. Gadd responded through the VB's microphone. "Luigi, if Daisy is unable to help, you should expel Gooigi to take care of those ghosts and bring the door down!"

Lacking other options, the plumber ran out of the deep puddle and released his gooey counterpart. He had no time to waste or else his real body would be skewered into a shish kebab. His first step was to help Daisy and pry the turquoise ghoul off her body. Gooigi furiously grappled the ghost and threw him against the wall. With a flash of his Strobulb, he dragged the Grabbing Ghost and slammed him onto the stone floor. With Daisy free, she thanked the green hero before heading over to the Mini Hammers, one of whom was pinned by Colombo. The other flailed his arms and twirled them violently right at the princess. Daisy's reflexes were fast enough that she stunned the first mini spirit and easily trapped him in the 5000. Colombo let go of the second one as she took care of the rest.

But they weren't done yet. The spikes got closer to Luigi's dozing self, and he was mere seconds away from being _crushed_.

Gooigi scurried over to the ball and chain to reopen the gate. Once it was completely down, he transferred his conscience to his own body. He ran out of the cell, falling flat on his stomach before the spiked walls slammed into each other. It took a while for Luigi to regain his bearings. He became exasperated as he felt that this castle had nothing to offer him but traps, close calls, ghostly knights, and a series of heart attacks.

He was genuinely shocked that he hasn't died yet.

"I swear, by the time I see his face, I'm going to give that stupid king a beatdown for nearly killing you," Daisy grumbled.

Luigi regained consciousness as his counterpart flew back into the tank. He stood up while dusting the dirt off his clothes. "Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, Daisy. I don't even think we're close to the arena."

When he read the map on the Virtual Boo's screen, he could see at least two more rooms and a hallway leading up to their destination. He went over to insert the key into the lock.

Colombo, Daisy, and Luigi entered the Bridge Room, a fairly lit room with several torches and the moonlight peeking through the ceiling window. Down below the walkway they were standing on, there were many spikes as well as some gear contraptions. In front of them was a wooden platform that acted as a bridge. But the other platform was aligned at a different angle, creating a gap that was too large to jump across. At the very least, they didn't have to find another key. Nevertheless, they had a new puzzle to solve.

Luigi searched for clues until his eyes were glued to the giant sculpture of King MacFrights' face mounted on the northern wall. What made his teeth chatter were the moving eyes glaring at him.

"Ok... _That's_ not creepy at all," Daisy was also unnerved.

"Every time, why is it that someone, or some_thing_, is watching me? It makes me so uncomfortable, especially when it's coming from an inanimate object!"

"Just try to ignore it if you can."

Luigi was about to complain even more, but he held himself in check as he focused on the main issue. "How are we going to get across? I may be a decent jumper, but it feels so uncomfortable to do it with a vacuum on my back. And don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you can make it either."

"No, I agree with you. The Poltergust feels light yet awkward to jump with. You would think E. Gadd would make the designs of these vacuums appropriate for us to be flexible."

"Are you questioning the quality of my inventions, Princess?" E. Gadd sounded offended through the mic.

"Well, actually-"

"I'm just playing with you, heh heh. To get back on topic, maybe there's a way to move the furthest platform around to line up with the first one. It seems that they're attached to those gears below you. The only question is, how do you move them?"

Luigi glanced to his left and saw a rope he could pull on. "We've always discovered something with these. Might as well give this one a go."

Right next to the disturbing statue of MacFrights, a wooden wall lifted up to unveil a metal fan.

"Interesting. Maybe this fan works like the one in the Cage-Lift Room, except this moves the platforms around!" Daisy assumed.

She went over to blow air onto the fan. With enough power, she heard the metal gears and chains creak to change the alignment of the bridge. Daisy paid attention to their positions and how the first one wasn't able to make a full rotation. She thought very carefully on how to manipulate the arrangement. Once she figured it out, the princess spun the fan in the right direction until the bridge was connected.

"Awesome, Daisy! Another successful puzzle completed!" Luigi cheered as he let go of the rope.

"Thanks!" she rejoined him and Colombo. "We're getting closer to the joust, I can already taste it!"

"Assuming the next room won't be a hassle, I think- YIPE!" Luigi squealed and leaned back when a trio of axes started swinging in front of him. "Oh, come on! What is with the freaking axes and nearly getting my head chopped off?!"

"Poor taste in decoration?" Daisy shrugged. "Like Bowser, he's obsessed with showing off his weapons and most notably his face."

"Ooh," Luigi shuddered at the statue again. "It still gives me the creeps. I'm running as fast as I can so his eyes won't stalk me!"

He timed his sprint so he wouldn't get sliced by the axes. Daisy waited for her turn, followed by Colombo. To everyone's relief, they made it across the wooden bridge in one piece. They quickly entered the next room, disregarding MacFrights's stony glower.

Daisy instantly frowned at the sight in front of her. Above them was a higher level that led to a pair of railroad tracks. However, a set of six archers were displayed against the back wall. She couldn't get the memory of Luigi taking an arrow to the knee out of her head. The plumber, however, pushed forward with the makeshift bandage around the joint. He saw a wagon full of tomatoes in the nearby crevice. With another rope in front of him, he pulled on it to cause some tomatoes to fall into the large pile.

"I wonder if we can pull this to the end of this track to block off the archers."

"We probably shouldn't pull it or else we'll get close to the arrows. They'll start shooting us like the other ones."

Luigi concurred and figured that it was best for Gooigi to handle the carts. The gooey man walked over to pull it by sucking air into the Poltergust. It was baffling for Daisy to see him overcome the laws of physics and the weight of the tomato wagon because he was somehow able to obstruct the first three archers from firing arrows at him. The remainder did activate as Gooigi walked to the other side of the room. Of course, he was completely unscathed. However, he couldn't find a wagon to pull.

**"That's odd. I would expect one to be here in this corner."**

Colombo cautiously ambled next to Gooigi and investigated the empty space. That's when he noticed something very peculiar. There were four wheels standing upright on the rails. If this wasn't a mirage, maybe it was a visual trick?

Gooigi noticed the Polterpup sniffing the wheels, so he shined his Dark-Light Device in front of him. He revealed the hidden wagon after sucking up the Spirit Balls. He scratched Colombo's head as appreciation for his help, albeit the dog felt it odd that he was being touched by a gooey hand rather than his owner's fabric glove. Nevertheless, Gooigi brought the other wagon over as the second blockade, allowing Daisy and his own body to cross safely.

Luigi opened the door that led into the Coliseum Hallway. Memorizing the map on the Virtual Boo, they had to make a right turn at the corner, and the arena will be at the end! However, the hallway was just as intimidating as the other rooms. He didn't know the exact reason why he had this hunch... until he walked forward and stepped onto a pressure plate that was hidden in the floor. He jumped, shrieking as two more giant axes swung both in front and behind him. Luckily, Daisy wasn't standing _directly_ behind her partner because the weapon was inches away from her face.

"Gah! I really hate this level!" Luigi squeezed his eyes shut in both fury and fear.

"I'm not a huge fan of this place either, but we're almost there!" Daisy encouraged. "Just run at the right time. I'll wait for you!"

Letting out a shaky breath, the green man hurried past the second axe before it could slice him up like a Christmas ham. Once he was in the clear, Daisy shuffled her way and made it safely. Colombo didn't worry about the obstacles too much as he swiftly ran through with ease. On the bright side, there was nothing ominous in their way as they turned the corner. The heroes trudged through the dim corridor with tapestries decorated on the wall. Just hundreds of feet away was the entrance to the Coliseum.

"Time for us to serve a royal iron fist to this king!" Daisy smirked with anticipation. "You ready, guys?"

"Ruff!"

Luigi wasn't as enthusiastic as his pet, but he was determined no matter how frightened he was. At least most of the pain subsided in his leg. With a valiant nod, they pushed the doors open, entering the arena.

* * *

King MacFrights asked his servants to fetch him some more tea, waving the empty cup in front of them. However, one of the horn-playing Goobs spotted Daisy, Luigi, and Colombo down in the Coliseum Arena. He quickly tapped the king's shoulder.

"What is it, peasant?" MacFrights grumbled with his eyes closed. "Can't thou seeth yond I'm parched?"

The Goob shook his head as he tried to get his attention.

"Agh, doth I has't to receiveth the tea myself?! Thou idiots art distemperate, and I-" He finally realized the fact the ghost hunters made their way past his swordsmen. To say the least, he wasn't very pleased.

"You!"

"Well, well, well..." Daisy teased as she glanced up at the king's throne. "You didn't expect us to be here, didn't you?"

"Gah!" MacFrights slammed his hands on the lookout's edge. "How didst thou make shift to survive?! Mine own castle hadst puzzles and traps to hinder thee! Not only yond, mine own knights shouldst've slowed thee down!"

"Rule number one, you should never underestimate us. Now, how about we get this joust over with?"

"Yeah, we need the elevator button!" Luigi added in desperation. Colombo let out a firm yelp as well.

"Hmph. As I said before, I shall not maketh things easy in our duel. But I shall surrender the button if thou pulleth off a victory... Heh heh, although thou madeth this far, I has't mine own doubts thou won't succeedeth."

"Bring it on, King Chump!"

"The name is MacFrights! Get it correct, thee foolish princess!"

The gang watched the royal leader float down to the arena as his men blew their horns to commence the joust. He got into a large suit of armor with a metal steed below. Holding a golden shield and an elongated sword, he showboated with a tenacious battle cry. In the background, a huge audience of cardboard cutouts, shaped into the common ghosts that Luigi has already faced, filled the seats beyond the stone walls. They began cheering for the king, even though Luigi and Daisy could tell they were recorded to make the place sound enticing yet raucous.

"Looks like a pathetic display," the princess scoffed.

"Ho ho ho! Art thou entertained yet, knight of green robes? Or art thou more intimidated to backeth out of the joust? Regardless of thy decision, Hellen Gravely and King Boo shall fain imprison thee into thy permanent home! Thy fartuous dog and yond loudmouth mistress of yours can joineth thee!

Luigi mustered up as much courage as he could to properly respond. "I'm not backing out, especially not this early. I'll fight you if it's the last thing I'll do."

"Just holler at me if you need backup," Daisy whispered at her partner. He gave her a nod before glancing at his Polterpup. Colombo copied his motion, raring to go for a three-on-one battle royal.

As King MacFrights was prepared, he attempted to lunge at the green plumber. Luigi's first motive was to dodge the attack, landing roughly on the wooden floor. The audience roared in satisfaction.

"Owie!" he felt the pain sear in his left knee yet again. Quickly hopping back up, he sprinted across the floor as MacFrights circled around the perimeter. He didn't know what the first thing he should do. However, he did notice the target on his chest blade. Judging from the look of it, he needed to perform a Suction Shot and fling the plunger around to gradually destroy his armor. If he can do that to fully expose him, that was the game plan. The only problem was figuring out how to stop him from running around the stadium. Flashing the Strobulb at him didn't seem to be effective as the light reflected off the shiny armor.

At one point, MacFrights stopped and turned to face his horse towards Luigi. Once he rushed forward, Luigi's first instinct was to run away, and that's what he did. Daisy was far away from the physical combat, but she realized that King MacFrights peeked his face over his shield the second he was about to lunge the spear at Luigi. She kept that in mind as MacFrights orbited the Coliseum again.

Luigi felt like he was going to trip anytime soon and that his leg would fall apart on him. He wasn't able to sprint as fast as he could, but he can't bear to suffer another aggravating injury. MacFrights charged at the plumber once more. Lunging his spear, it caught the fabric of Luigi's shirt as he got pinned against the stone wall. The weapon _barely_ missed from stabbing him in the shoulder.

"GAH!"

"Luigi!" Daisy cried.

"What's the matter, ye olde little one? Too weak to square me?" MacFrights taunted as he dug the pointed end deeper through the shirt.

With his owner trapped, Colombo leaped at the suit of armor, catching the king off guard. He angrily grabbed ahold of his shield as he tried to pry it off him. Although he maintained his shield, he lost his grip against Luigi with the spear. The man was free as he got away from the wall and reunited with Daisy, the latter of whom checked him with concern.

"You okay?" she held her hands gently on his face.

Luigi was a little dazed from the assault, but her face helped him refocus. Blinking twice, he felt somewhat reassured. "A little, not gonna lie. There's got to be a way to stun him. I have to get a Suction Shot on his target or he'll keep running around until we tire out!"

"We have to wait for the right timing for his face to be visible. He's always blocking himself with that shield of his, but he looks susceptible at the last second when he gets close to you."

"Yipe!" Colombo squealed, causing Luigi to freeze in horror. Polterpup landed on the arena after a couple of bounces. MacFrights managed to hurl him off his shield.

"Colombo!" Luigi ran over to his pet. The dog's eyes slowly opened as he whined in pain.

"Yes! Hark to the crowd roar!"

Luigi's blue pupils were aflame as if they turned red with rage. "No one hurts my Polterpup!" he went straight at the king.

MacFrights didn't see it coming, and neither did Daisy. The man clenched his teeth as he used a Burst to spring up into the air. He then delivered a jump kick to the metal horse's head. It flew MacFrights back several feet, causing the cardboard audience to jeer at the green hero.

"Ooh, thou art going to payeth for thy foolish actions!"

Luigi recalled Daisy's words on MacFrights showing his face behind his cover when he's nearby. He held down the button for the Strobulb and waited anxiously for his attack. The king furiously thrust his spear into the air before aiming it at the plumber. Daisy, who was comforting the spectral dog, felt her heart beat against her ribcage. Luigi could feel his own pounding hard, blood coursing through his veins.

"En garde!" MacFrights yelled.

At the right time, Luigi released a giant beam of light when he spotted his face. He successfully stunned the ghost in shock, forcing him to hide in the suit. He fired a plunger at the target and pulled on the plunger. Making sure he didn't swing near his friends, Luigi slammed the armor repeatedly as several broken scraps flew in various directions. The audience booed Luigi louder than before, but he didn't let them get into his head.

"Way to go, Luigi!" Daisy shouted.

Colombo, feeling much better now, got on all fours and barked happily.

"Grr! I clearly wasn't eft for yond! This is only a warmup!" MacFrights threw a tantrum.

"You were right, Daisy. I can stun him when he pops his head out from behind the shield."

"We just need to do that until we fully destroy his armor and steed! Let's do this!" she smirked.

Luigi smiled as well, but the expression swiftly transitioned into his signature glare. Even with all of his confidence, King MacFrights was a little unnerved by it. Daisy barely noticed this, holding in a giggle.

Shaking his head, the boss returned to circling around the heroes before he went for the right moment. Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo had to watch out for his pathing, but they also dodged some incoming fire arrows that shot out of the wall's compartments. As for the plumber, he continued to ignore the constant pain rushing through his left knee.

"Hey, King MacDoofus! Are you feeling _light_headed?" she joked as she released a large flash from her Strobulb.

"D'oh! I can appreciateth thy fighting spirit, orange mistress. But I'm disappointed with thy horrible pun!" he groaned inside the suit.

"Luigi! It's your turn!"

The plumber went over to the target and fired a second Suction Shot. He swung it back and forth, damaging more of MacFrights's armor. By then, his steed was stripped bare as there were only loose springs and wires remaining below the medieval ghost king.

By the looks of it, the red-bearded apparition was on the brink of losing. The unliving audience was growing restless. Luigi and Daisy were slightly fatigued from running around like they were being chased by a scorpion or a tarantula. But the process was repeated. The heroes ducked, dodged, and ran throughout the Coliseum to evade MacFrights's staff and the fire arrows. This time, Colombo jumped at his shield and managed to steal it away, throwing it into the crowd. It left an open window to stun the king easily.

"Filthy mongrel! Fine! I needeth not a buckler to protecteth me! I'll doth it the hard way!"

"I don't know what that means, but I think we have your number instead!" Luigi retorted.

"We can tell you're getting frustrated, and that's only because you're losing in this joust!" Daisy grinned.

MacFrights didn't want to admit it, but he was desperate to pull off a comeback victory. However, he missed his sword from whacking either ghost hunter. Seconds later, the princess just got a piece of him with her flashlight. Luigi did the honors by slamming the remnants of his armor until he flew out of his costume.

"Grah!" he panted heavily. "So, thou hath passed the first phase of the joust. I shall sayeth, thou art a competent trio to bringeth me at a disadvantage. But can thou finish me off for good?"

King MacFrights grabbed a smaller version of his sword. Without his horse and a shield for protection, he floated in midair and utilized a spin attack towards the heroes. Unfortunately for him, he missed all of his targets. Dizzy and exhausted, Daisy stunned him first and sucked up his health with the tail caught in the Poltergust 5000. The boss groaned with every slam he endured.

Moments later, he was able to escape. He summoned more fire arrows as a last-second effort but to no avail. Luigi lingered until he did another spin attack. As he became unsteady once more, he finished him off with three successive slams until the king was thoroughly defeated. He dug his sword into the hardwood, letting out a final declaration.

"Argh! I misprise to sayeth these words, but thou wonneth fair and square! This joust hast cometh to an end. Thy victors art the Green Knight, the orange princess, and the white pooch! As the loser, I boweth down to accepteth defeat. Thy prize awaits!"

King MacFrights made a royal bow and released his hands off his sword. His entire body got sucked into the Poltergust G-00 as it began to shake violently. The elevator button eventually flew out of the nozzle and landed in the center of the Coliseum. Meanwhile, groans and boos were heard loudly as they witnessed an upset.

"Oh, shut up and get out of here! You aren't real anyway, and it's not like you paid money to see this!" Daisy waved them off.

They all disappeared from their seats while many confetti streams popped out in celebration. The Goobs who remained in the throne balcony blew their horns to signify the conclusion. Since they didn't want to interfere with the heroes, they set down their instruments and retreated from the castle. Luigi sighed, feeling relieved that the fight was over. He smiled at his Polterpup who retrieved the elevator button for him.

"Good boy," he scratched behind his ear. "We did it, guys!"

"Heck yeah, we won! That was probably the most invigorating battle I've ever participated in! And thank heavens we're still in one piece!" Daisy pumped her fist.

"We sure are.". Looking down at the button, he spotted the number '**7**' engraved on it.

"I wonder what the seventh floor has to offer."

"Just as long as we stay away from axes, I'm okay with it."

"How's your leg?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Still sore. I think running made it feel worse again."

The Virtual Boo suddenly rang from Luigi's pocket. With the goggles on his head, he listened to E. Gadd's message.

"Well done, sonny! You, Daisy, and Colombo outlasted the sixth floor of The Last Resort! Now, you mentioned something about an injured knee, correct? Why don't you head on back to the lab, and I'll fix you up with my first aid kit. Not only that, I think this is another good stopping point. We'll continue the ghost-catching tomorrow night."

"Okey-dokey, Professor. We'll be on our way."

"As always, you're doing a great job. Red and I are proud of your hard work!"

"He's right!" the Toad chimed in, his head barely shown on the bottom-left of the screen. "I'm so happy you're alive. We were both worried that you would be speared to death!"

"C'mon, Toad," Daisy chuckled. "You should have some more faith in us!"

"Alright, I'll let you go now. See you in a bit!" the old scientist signed off.

Luigi couldn't wait to get back to home base. With another floor off the list, he and the others were one step closer to confronting King Boo and Hellen Gravely for their deceitful ploy. His thoughts shifted to Mario, Peach, and the other captured Toads, wondering if they were truly okay despite being imprisoned in paintings. While he wanted nothing more but to rescue them as soon as possible, his injury was nagging him to rest. It was probably smart to wait another day – in his eyes and Daisy's. As a drawbridge lowered down, the trio slowly made their way up to the elevator.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Some elements/locations in the second half of Castle MacFrights were revised to complement an appropriate usage of Gooigi and Daisy, such as the Dungeon and the Bridge Room. Grabbing Ghosts were included from the first Luigi's Mansion. And rather having Boo-at-Arms be hidden in the level, I used him for the surprise attack in the Cage-Lift Room, replacing the army of Mini Hammers._

_I thought this level was interesting, but I was horrible during the boss fight. I remember dying at least twice and Polterpup reviving me from those losses. I also got a Game Over because I didn't realize I had to shine the Strobulb when MacFrights's head pops out. But believe me, there is at least one other boss that infuriated me more than him._

_Coming up next on Hotel Horror, Luigi and his friends advance upward to 7F, one of my least favorite places in the hotel. I hope you like killer plants because I don't. Nevertheless, thanks for reading! Be sure to review down below on what you think of this one or if I made any errors. Follow and favorite the story for future updates. (Again, chapters will be posted whenever I can get them out.) Until then, stay safe and take care. This is TGN, signing off._


	16. Ch 15: Luigi and the Beanstalk

_A/N:__ With the way my online class is set up, I have to set priorities first by finishing my assignments first and working on fanfiction later. I hate how there's so much work involved and that it's all required for grading, but I have to deal with it. To reiterate, I can only write whenever I can. I'm just glad I got this out of the way for now._

_Special thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! Hotel Horror is now at **200 reviews** and nearly **90 favorites**! Now let's return to our spooky adventure!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Nintendo owns the rights to their games and characters. I'm only responsible for this particular rewrite._

* * *

**Chapter 15:** Luigi and the Beanstalk

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

"Argh..." King Boo sighed relentlessly. He was loitering inside Hellen Gravely's Main Observation Room. But instead of hiding from her, he was visibly floating in front of the hotel owner, the latter of whom had a somewhat anxious expression on her face. Not too long ago, she watched King MacFrights lose the medieval battle against Luigi and his friends. Hellen was deeply furious on the inside. However, with King Boo in the same room as her, she held in her ire as she exhaled a shaky breath. The purple-skinned female met his cold glare.

"Your Highness, I-"

"Now what kind of excuse do you have to say after _that_ just happened?!" the large ghost king roared at her.

She gulped and kept her eyes shut in annoyance for a couple of seconds. Once they opened, Hellen formed a response. "I promised MacFrights that he would rule his own floor with a castle theme as long as he stopped that cowardly green man. And-"

"That cowardly green man is the subject of who I want to capture!" King Boo interrupted again. "Yet he's still out there, sucking up your patrons easily as if they were dust mites! He even did that with a bloody knee!"

"Yes, and I'm as deeply upset as you are that they're not fulfilling my commands! I've hired the most credible ghosts to scare the little devil, but he managed to outwit them with that despicable vacuum he's wearing!"

"Do you think I would take pity on you for shifting blame onto others? If your little ghosts can't capture him, why can't _you_ do the work yourself?!"

"Hmph..." Hellen shook her fists. "If I recall, didn't Luigi manage to capture you twice already? You could take the liberty of successfully trapping him into a painting for once!"

After yelling that out of pure frustration, she took a moment and realized that she said that straight at her idol. Cautiously, yellow pupils stared at dark purple. The latter had an expression that was far from unreadable. It was written with utter disgust.

"Hellen Gravely," he murmured with a hint of venom, "you stated that your staff would be key to stop him in his tracks. You promised me that you would fulfill my desire of capturing that stupid plumber in a painting. Dare I quote, you explicitly told me that 'you will go beyond the edge of the Mushroom Kingdom if you have to!' But look at where we are right now! I don't need to explain it any further!"

Hellen leaned back in fear as King Boo spat loudly in front of her. This definitely wasn't the first time the large Boo threw a tantrum. Ever since Hellen released him from E. Gadd's Boo Canister following the Dark Moon quest, he had an appetite for revenge. His vendetta towards Luigi escalated to the point where he was absolutely done with being sucked up in a vacuum. King Boo was growing restless, and Hellen wanted nothing more than for him to calm down and relax. Considering that she hasn't lived up to expectations, however, she refrained from saying soothing words or anything in general.

"Gah... I'm done for the night. Don't disturb me whatsoever," King Boo impolitely floated out of the vault.

Hellen was too exhausted and embarrassed from her confrontation that she solemnly returned to her chair and sat down. However, she didn't notice that Polterkitty was sleeping there. Nearly getting squished, the feline ghost screeched loudly.

"Ugh! Get off of my chair!" Hellen scowled who was too mad to apologize.

Polterkitty was not pleased with her reaction as she hopped off the seat. She hissed as a remark.

"Don't give me that look. If those ghosts can't stop them, I'll have to force you to act as a distraction."

The cat wasn't fond of her command. But with the way Hellen has been treating her lately, she felt like she had no choice but to listen. Rolling her eyes, Polterkitty pushed a ball of yarn with her paw, feeling dissatisfied. She cuddled up on top of a pillow and went back for a nap.

Hellen groomed her beehive hairdo while staring at the television screens. One camera zoomed in on Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo returning to the Basement. The man in green was limping with the provisional bandage Daisy applied around his kneecap. She narrowed her eyes. Half of her wanted to instantly kidnap him so she can finally earn King Boo's respect. The other half, however, was her pride and ego holding her back from interfering. Initially, Hellen preferred her haunted resort to be a test to prove if Luigi is fearful or courageous enough to withstand her trials.

She loathed how it was the latter.

The ghosts she hired to guard the elevator buttons were the primary tests. But so far, King MacFrights, Amadeus Wolfgeist, Chef Soulfflé, Officer Kruller, Chambrea, and her brother, Steward, all fell to Luigi and his Poltergust G-00. Even some of the old Portrait Ghosts suffered the same fate, whether or not they were relevant to her. If the others are unable to prevent Luigi from reaching the penthouse, Hellen knew her inevitable fate. The brush in her hand accidentally flew out of her squeezed fist.

"Luigi... You're ruining everything for me!"

* * *

It was Day 3 since Luigi found himself stuck in this nightmarish landscape. But after another peaceful rest, Luigi was prepared to resume his ascent through The Last Resort. His knee was feeling much better after Professor E. Gadd gave him a special antibiotic ointment that felt similar to the ailment effects of a 1-Up. Meanwhile, Daisy opted to change into the orange blouse she took from the Hotel Shops. She threw away the white shirt she tore earlier. Afterward, they all enjoyed a nice meal to energize themselves. Colombo was given a Gold Bone from the old scientist, to which he delightfully swallowed it whole.

With the Poltergusts on their backs, the trio headed for the elevator to insert the '**7**' button they retrieved from King MacFrights. After twisting into place, Luigi smiled and viewed the map layout of the next floor. Daisy was immediately intrigued when she saw the name of the floor.

"Hey! This one's called the Garden Suites! Do you think we'll see a variety of flowers and shrubs there?"

"I'm not sure. If so, Peach would probably love to see it, even if this is a haunted hotel. We both know how much she loves gardening and tending flowers."

"Yeah, that's true. I sure hope my bestie's alright. She wouldn't want us to keep her waiting!"

"Most definitely. Well, let's head there right now," Luigi tapped the button. He and the others felt the lift rumble before it slowly made its way up. At the same time, he took a moment to gaze at the map on the Virtual Boo. He was shocked to see that the place was just as tall as Castle MacFrights based on the number of levels shown. He wondered how it looked in person. Luigi shivered, already feeling his teeth chatter. He couldn't tell what to anticipate this time.

* * *

_Location: 7F – Garden Suites_

The lamps on each side of the elevator were the only main sources of light in the elevator lobby. As the doors creaked open, Luigi cautiously took several steps outside as he was met with several flowers, potted plants, trees, and even a sitting couch. While the beginning area didn't seem too ominous, what worried him was the darkened hallway around the corner. He barely found clumps of ivy and grass planted on the floor which led to a stone walkway.

"Hmm... I wouldn't exactly choose these kinds of flowers for a display. But if that's what suits Hellen's taste, at least they're decent looking," Daisy commented.

Colombo began sniffing away as he followed the trail ahead. He jumped a little when he noticed the grass move. Luigi, who also noticed the peculiar movement, was curious yet afraid that something would pop out to scare him. It got darker as they progressed further down the hall. The ivy grew everywhere on the walls and ceiling, barely letting any light through. Seconds later, the green man heard the sound of squeaking mice scuttling through the weeds. His body tensed up, hoping he didn't have to go through another horrid experience similar to the mice who ate the elevator button in the Mezzanine.

That thought quickly vanished when a snake slithered right at him. It spewed venom right in front of him and tried to bite his large nose!

"AAHHH! Get it off of me!" he cried.

Daisy promptly rushed to his side and used her Poltergust to suck up the dirty serpent. She cringed as she saw a few teeth marks and a thin trail of blood.

"Oh, gosh... Are you alright?"

Luigi snorted as he rubbed his nose with his hand. That's when he noticed the red stains smeared on the glove. "Back-to-back nights of losing blood? I must be really unlucky."

"Sorry you have to deal with something like this again," she sympathized. Earlier, the professor provided them with a portable first aid kit in case something would happen again. Daisy took out some bandages and applied some antibiotic ointment onto the infected spot.

"Thanks... I just hope I won't get poisoned or anything worse. I appreciate you getting that snake off of me."

"Like I said earlier, I got your back," Daisy smirked, making her partner smile as well.

As he ignored the pain, the trio turned another corner, approaching the end of the corridor as they reached a set of bronze doors. So many plants covered the entirety of the room. If it weren't for the nearby lamps, Luigi thought he was stuck in some sort of dark greenhouse. The only things missing were a bunch of carnivorous Piranha Plants lurking to chomp on his overalls. Then it'd be a killer garden. Literally.

Luigi pushed the doors open as they all entered the Garden Suites' Atrium. The plumber had his eyes glued to the long staircase that ran along the edges of the humongous room. Now that he knew what this place looked like, he hoped this stairway wouldn't be similar to the one he had to climb to reach the top of the Haunted Towers. And that was hell on its own whenever he slid to the very bottom just from choosing the wrong flight.

Speaking of which, this kind of environment reminded him of the Haunted Towers he excavated in Evershade Valley. Ironically, it was the first location he ran into the Polterpup back when he was more of a mischievous pooch who ran off with key items that he needed in his old quest. At least this time, Colombo wasn't planning to run away or cause bedlam.

Then, Daisy tapped Luigi's shoulder, pointing at a shining object lying on an iron garden table.

"Hey! There's the elevator button!" he smiled. Without any signs of ghosts, he happily ran over to grab it before anything could interfere with him.

Oh, how naive he was...

"That was easy!" Daisy smirked. "Now let's get out of here!"

"You said it, Daisy! Huh?" Luigi got distracted when he spotted a floating watering can. Daisy also froze as several drops of water spewed over a small, azure sprout.

"Rise, my pretty flower..." a sinister, scratchy voice whispered.

"Oh no..." Luigi shook in fear.

As the sprout disappeared into the patch of dirt, what came out was a large Venus flytrap with spikes around the mouth. It even emitted a low growl.

"Luigi? What the heck is that?"

"Do you think I'm a botanist or something?! You know more about plants than me!"

"Yeah, but I've never seen one this threatening and ugly!"

"You dare call my beautiful flower '_ugly_'?!" the same voice rasped near Daisy. "I'll show you what my baby is capable of... Petunia! Snatch that button!"

"Wait a second. First of all, you gave that disgusting sapling a name? Secondly, you call it 'Petunia'?" the princess extended a hand in confusion.

Luigi was about to comment on why Daisy would even question such a topic, but he recoiled as his hand got trapped in the plant's mouth. He tried to hold onto the button tightly in his fist, but the plant wouldn't back down.

"Yah! Get off of me!"

"Hold on, Luigi! I'll help!" Daisy got behind him and tried to pull his body away. They struggled for several seconds before Colombo angrily jumped on top of the killer flower. It became restless as it spit out Luigi's hand, forcing him and Daisy to fall backward. Unfortunately, the button slipped out of his grasp and became trapped inside the plant.

The plumber groaned from both the saliva and marks on his glove. It was way worse than the snake bite on his nose. "Why me? Why is it always me?!"

"Hoo hoo hoo..." the mysterious voice chuckled. "This is what happens when you don't tend your precious flowers properly. Or in your case, when you anger me and my dear Petunia!"

Right beside the plant, a new ghost emerged to reveal himself as he held his red watering can. It was a green-skinned ghoul who wore a yellow gardening hat with a small white flower sticking out near the brim. He also had a bushy beard, glasses, a knapsack, and a brown coat.

"You disrespectful lassies must have the gall to invade my ravishing, green paradise. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Luigi could only stutter as he failed to form a single, coherent thought. Likewise with almost every other situation, Daisy did the talking.

"I've got one thing on my mind. How do you have a green thumb if you own a deadly Venus flytrap named Petunia?"

"Are you really bringing that up again?!" Luigi finally spoke as they got up on their feet. Colombo quickly rejoined them, standing in front as protection.

"Tell me, Ms. Tomboy," the elderly ghost got close to her face. "What do you know about growing a garden?"

"It's actually simple since I know how to take care of nature," Daisy mirrored his glare. "You have to choose a good location to plant your seeds, bury them in soil, make sure they're given a decent amount of water and love, and let them grow to create a beautiful flower bed. But from what I've seen, it looks like your garden is only built for two purposes: to prosper killer plants like that disgusting thing and to overcompensate. How is this place built for suites when it's just a greenhouse?! And does it have to be gargantuan in size?!"

The apparition was enraged by her insults. "I presume you're just jealous that you can't grow a garden this large and extraordinary as mine."

"Me? Jealous? At a garden that lacks beauty and grandeur? Ha! You're making me laugh!"

He was about to continue his protest until the man in green hesitantly asked a different question.

"W-Who are you, anyway?"

"At least that's something I'm proud to answer. The name is Potter. _Dr._ Potter, to be precise!"

"How can you be called a doctor when you're just a gardener?" the princess scoffed.

"First, you insult my plant. Then, you call my garden unimpressive. Now, you're questioning the legitimacy of my professional doctorate of Botany and Plant Physiology?!" Dr. Potter roared, causing Luigi and Colombo to wince.

"Sheesh, _sorry_. I'm not too familiar with college studies because there are so many programs to choose from and pursue a degree. If I wasn't a princess, I'd actually consider something related to botany. But I would at least not waste years of my time just to take proper care of a little Venus flytrap and a bunch of ivy leaves."

"Oh, Petunia is more than just _little_, you dumb, innocent woman..."

"WHAT did you call me?!" Daisy was about to rush up to him.

"Daisy! Calm down, would ya?!" Luigi stopped her.

"Indeed. Listen to your boyfriend. At least he has common sense despite having no backbone."

"Hey!"

"Don't talk to Luigi or me like that! And to be on topic, give us that elevator button back!"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo growled at the gardener.

"As I was saying, you don't know what Petunia is truly capable of. Arise, my precious!"

Dr. Potter poured more water onto the flytrap. Suddenly, the sprout grew larger and thicker than before. It grew hundreds of feet high into the Garden Suites, elevating past the levels and the long staircase. Luigi gulped as he took several steps back to witness the plant grow from a Venus flytrap into some sort of humongous beanstalk. He stammered in utter shock as the dark shadow covered his face. Daisy and Colombo widened their eyes as well. Glancing back at the gardening ghost, Dr. Potter laughed maniacally.

"Hoo hoo hoo! _Now_ do you see that Petunia is more than just a simple plant? If you want that button, you better get a move on! Not that I expect you to make it to the top!" he chuckled once more before disappearing with his watering can.

Daisy placed her hands on her hips. "Ugh! Growing up, I've been told to always respect your elders, but that Dr. Pot-head is someone I _won't_ respect at all!"

"Um, terminology, Daisy..."

"What do you mean by-" she paused when Luigi gave her a perturbed look while raising an eyebrow. She eventually realized what she said seconds ago. "Oh."

"God, my hand hurts..."

Colombo tried to lick it in hopes that it would feel better. Luigi appreciated the thought, but he knew that it didn't help at all. He asked for the first aid kit again.

"I'm sorry you got wounded again," Daisy replied sadly as she tenderly held Luigi's bitten hand.

"To be fair, I should've kept my grip tighter or else I wouldn't have let go," his face drooped like a dying sunflower.

"That's not your fault. I pretty much triggered him to cause him to grow that thing into a beanstalk. I feel like every time I encounter a talking ghost, all I do is act all macho and aggressive with them. I keep forgetting that you told me that I should be more cautious and calm."

"Don't think about it too much. I think it's just because you can't trust ghosts since Hellen tricked you. I mean, you're not the only one since I've already been fooled by King Boo back then."

"At least you're not very belligerent. That's what I like about you," she told him as she covered the new wounds.

"But you're a bit more courageous, and that's why I like you."

Both humans couldn't help but giggle and smile at each other.

"Where would I be without you, Luigi?"

"Technically, stuck in a painting?"

A snort came out of her nose. "Okay, you got me there. But seriously, I can't imagine being with anyone else besides you. I wouldn't be in this position if you didn't save me and teach me how to catch ghosts."

"You're welcome, Daisy. And whenever Mario's not around, I always want to be beside you for company. You just make me feel relaxed even when I'm highly stressed in situations like this."

"With that being said, we should start climbing this floor if we want to get that button. I doubt climbing this beanstalk would be a poor decision in case it gets slippery or if there aren't a lot of branches to hold onto."

"The stairs would be the safer bet then."

"You ready, Luigi?"

The mustached man gave her a confident nod. "Let's-a-go!"

"Arf!" Colombo panted before heading up the steps first. Luigi and Daisy quickly followed him as they made their way to the level above the ground floor of the Atrium. However, before they could progress any further, Dr. Potter's snicker echoed nearby, startling Luigi. He glanced to his left to see the red watering can in midair. The water poured onto one of the branches, and a new one protruded outward towards the stairwell. It completely destroyed their path!

"You thought this was going to be an easy climb, didn't you?" Dr. Potter momentarily revealed himself again. "Hoo hoo! Try to get past this!"

"He thinks he's so smart with that doctorate of his. Well, I don't suppose he noticed that he created a different pathway for us. Look! We can go across this branch."

"Ooh, boy," Luigi moaned. "I can already tell we're gonna have to hover our way to the other side."

"Haven't you done stuff like that before in your previous ghost hunts?"

"I've had to cross large gaps by balancing on poles or beams. I don't have experience swinging from vines. Otherwise, I'd probably ask Donkey Kong for help."

"Do you want me to go first?"

"Be my guest," he gestured.

The Sarasaland ruler brought the vine over by using the suction power on her Poltergust. She carefully swayed back and forth to gain momentum. As she approached the leaf platform across from her, she released the vine and landed safely on her sneakers.

"Whew. Made it!" she gave a thumbs-up to him.

Colombo decided to go next and chomped on the vine with his teeth. He joyfully swung around and leaped over to land beside Daisy. Luigi was the last one to follow. Closing his eyes, his feet soared over the gap until they were right above the leaf. He sighed in relief as he made it without falling. They trekked towards the staircase that didn't get destroyed and found a pile of leaves sticking out from the ground. Based on its appearance, they look like leaves from a pineapple, except they're colossal.

"Imagine picking out a ripe pineapple from this," Daisy exclaimed.

"Well, this is blocking the way. Let's pull on these ropes," he directed. Luigi grabbed one while Daisy tugged on the other. As they each had a full power gauge, they tugged as hard as they could. The leaves dispersed and many golden coins scattered on the floor. After collecting the money, they made it to the next level of the Garden Suites. A door was standing to their right while the stairwell ahead was cut off. Luigi guessed that he needed a way to reach the other side by entering the hotel room next to him.

Checking the map on his Virtual Boo, the display read 'Blooming Suite'. He figured that was a somewhat appropriate name considering the place was entirely covered in leaves, vines, grass, and blossoming plants. Those plants happened to be Strobe Flowers. Daisy was curious enough to flash her light on them, and they opened up with money inside them.

"Interesting. I think these flowers are my favorite that I've seen so far!"

In front of Luigi was a small sitting area with the bed against the far wall. Although the area seemed to be blocked, Luigi scrutinized the map again. He spotted a bathroom north of them with a door indicated by a small rectangle connecting the two rooms. With this clue, Luigi vacuumed up the leaves on the wall until he revealed the concealed door.

"Hey, Daisy! Colombo! Over here!"

"Ah, so that's how we can get to the other side! Nice find!"

Luigi was about to open the door, but a paranormal gate got in his way. Another one blocked the entrance to the suite. "Oh, not again!"

To his left, he became spooked when a Strobe Flower floated in the air. The culprit revealed himself. It was a Garbage Can Ghost, holding the flower in one hand and munching on a banana with the other. Another Strobe Flower was being carried as a Slammer materialized near the bed.

"We don't have time for distractions! Take this!" Daisy snarled as she shined the Strobulb at the Garbage Can Ghost. However, the Strobe Flower fully bloomed, protecting the green spirit. She failed to stun him after flashing her light a second time. "Ugh, how can I get past you?!"

Luigi tried the same experiment at the Slammer, but he was also unsuccessful as he got hurt from a shockwave caused by the red ghost's fists. Colombo attempted to pry the defensive weapon off him, but he struggled against the Slammer's power. Luigi recalled how he can easily destroy flowers by sucking up the petals into the vacuum. If he could remove them, the ghost should be vulnerable.

"Daisy! Follow my lead! Colombo, let go! I'll take care of it!"

After his pet obeyed him, Luigi started with a Strobulb flash. As the Slammer reflected the light, he instantly sucked up the petals. The ghost was out in the open without a shield. Surprisingly, he was more distressed than irate. Smirking, Luigi saw the open opportunity and stunned him entirely. He grabbed his tail in the vacuum and whacked him near a stack of empty flower pots, crashing them into fragments.

"Hey, that worked! I'll do the same against this bozo!" Daisy declared.

She started off by flashing the Strobulb, getting rid of the petals, and shining the light once more on the Garbage Can Ghost. The green ghoul shrieked as he hurled his banana peel on the floor. Making sure she doesn't slip, Colombo grabbed the rind and tossed it to Luigi to discard it. Daisy got a hold of the ghost before slamming him onto the table. Once he was trapped, the paranormal gates were gone. The tomboy was relieved yet embarrassed that she broke the furniture.

"Uh, oopsie!"

"Don't worry about it. You've seen me destroy stuff unintentionally," Luigi chortled.

"Fair enough. Let's continue!"

They entered the Blooming Bathroom where several pink apple blossom leaf piles were scattered all over the tiled floor and inside the bathtub. Luigi noticed a drain near the toilet and decided to slip down below with Gooigi. It turned out to be a small maze blocked by some plumbing and wooden boards. Nothing was significant to help him, but a pipe led him into the tub. Luckily, there wasn't any water inside to melt him. He soon discovered a purple gem within the leaf pile after bursting it. The amethyst was in the shape of a starry flower.

Suddenly, Gooigi felt his body vibrate. He had a hunch on something. **"Daisy, can you check the other leaf piles? I have a bad feeling that a Boo is hiding somewhere in here.**

"Sure, give me a moment."

She cleared the floor by sucking up the piles one by one. As she got to the last one near the sink, a Boo screeched out loud, frightening the heroes.

"Reee! So, you found me! They call me Bootanist. I've got a green thumb for planting seeds and knocking out weeds! How does your garden grow? It's probably not as good as mine!"

"Honestly, yours is probably better than that old, creepy gardener," replied Daisy.

Gooigi returned to the storage container as Luigi woke up. He tried to stun the Boo quickly with his Dark-Light Device, but the ghost managed to vanish and float away in time.

"Grr! As much as I adore the color green and the plants surrounding my environment, you're like a venomous snake slithering around causing trouble! Just like my worthless weeds, I'll effectively remove you from my sight!"

"Aah!" he felt an invisible hand slap his cheek. He groaned from the sting and tried to get a bearing to find the Boo. At least the Blooming Bathroom wasn't too large to explore. However, he could easily escape into the bedroom or the nearby hole in the wall.

Colombo saw smoke forming above the floor, and he searched for a mysterious trail. He spotted one going near the bathtub, so he barked at Luigi. His owner got the message as he sprinted at the spot and shined the rainbow light at where the trail ended. Bootanist started whining as he became visible. Once he was dazed, Luigi grabbed the tongue and slammed him repeatedly.

"Ouch! That bites harder than a snake!"

"Don't even bring that up. I already got bit by one!" he pointed furiously at his nose.

"Ha! You look ridiculous with that bandage! It's funny how you can't defend yourself against a silly reptile! Urgh!"

Bootanist looked over to his left when his tongue got caught again. He was met with a cold glower from the orange princess.

"It's also funny how you can't defend yourself from a vacuum! You're like a defenseless, little puppy who can't handle the sight of one!"

"Ruff!" Colombo was offended.

"I'm not referring to you, boy! You're a good, brave dog!" That cheered the Polterpup up. "Anyway, you try to mock my ghostbusting partner, you'll get hammered like a nail!"

"Gah! Please stop it! That hurts!"

Daisy refused to listen to him as she finished thumping Bootanist onto the bathroom floor. The ghost bounced off the 5000's nozzle before getting trapped inside.

"Whew! Thanks, Daisy."

"No problem, Weegie! How about we make our way up now?"

"I'm with you. We've got a long way to go if we want to reach the very top."

They removed the leaves hanging in front of the open wall before climbing the next flight of stairs. However, as they were halfway up, Luigi was met with Dr. Potter again. The latter made the other gasp as he gripped the railing for support.

"Ugh, not you again!" Daisy complained. "What do you want from us this time?"

"It's not about what I want from you. Instead, I'm more focused on how I want to make your ascent harder than expected. Quick question, and be honest with me, how much do you love pineapples?"

Daisy was uncertain where he was going with this. "It's a decent fruit, but I wouldn't consider it my most favorite one."

"And what about you, Green Hat?"

"Uh..." the plumber faltered.

"Pfft. Of course I can't get a direct response from you since you're too cowardly to talk to me. Man up, you little whippersnapper!"

His words only made Luigi feel worse. Colombo threatened to attack as he showed his teeth at the senior gardener.

"I dare you to insult him again. Keep talking, you bearded freak!"

"Hmph, I don't have the time or motivation for pity talk. Back to my question on pineapples, I've got a pleasant surprise for you three delinquents. Hoo hoo hoo!"

With his trusty watering can, he planted something hidden in the tall grass that none of the heroes saw. Before they could figure out what was going on, a sprout made of pineapple leaves emerged in between them and Dr. Potter. As the ghost faded away, a gigantic pineapple erupted out of the leaves, tumbling down towards them.

"WAH! DAISY, RUN!" Luigi grabbed her hand.

"Whoa! What the heck?!"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo escaped to the bottom before the humans. The fruit kept bouncing down until it smashed into the wall above them. Pineapple juice spurted all over the place, drenching Luigi and Daisy's clothes.

"Aw, no! I just _bought_ this blouse! I haven't worn this for a full day to break it in! Now it smells like pineapple!" she was disgusted.

"Sorry about that, Daisy. We'll get you a new one soon."

"Ugh, never mind that. This is not the time to be selfish about my outfit. We have to climb the stairs."

"But those pineapples keep spawning out of the plant! We're bound to get pounced on by one of them!"

"We'll have to take it slow and steady. Let's watch where the pineapples bounce. If they hit the same spots, we can determine where it's safe to stop. Then we'll make a run when the coast is clear!"

"Okay... Sounds like a plan." Luigi remained frightened that he would sustain another injury. The malicious bites from the snake and Petunia were cruel enough.

Daisy led the charge with Luigi and Colombo following close behind. While she estimated the pineapple's landing spots, she recoiled a couple of times whenever they got close to her. Luigi would release Daisy's hand in fear as he blocked his face. The princess frowned, but she knew he couldn't help it. Feeling determined, she waited for the right timing and pulled Luigi with her until they were right in front of the plant.

She grabbed a rope attached around the leaves. "Come on, Luigi! Pull!"

He took a deep breath and sucked on the other line. They simultaneously tugged as the pineapple plant got destroyed.

"Yeah! Take that, Mr. Potter!"

The ghost materialized in front of them, scowling at Daisy. "I told you before, it's _Dr_. Potter! Acknowledge me by the right title!" he violently shook his watering can.

"Whatever, _mister_."

"Nyah! You stupid adolescents are always bothersome! You're the reason why I despise the younger generation!"

"Jeez, as fascinating as that ghost may be, I don't know if I want to be friends with him," E. Gadd whispered through the VB's microphone. "Just ignore his words. As an old man myself, I definitely don't think of you fellers that way."

"That's because you're more respectful and revered, Professor," Daisy complimented.

"Despite the fact you locked me in a cage," Luigi muttered, to which the scientist didn't hear that.

"Oh ho ho! Why, thank you, Princess! I don't want to hold you back for too long. Keep going for that elevator button, posthaste!"

With the pineapples and Dr. Potter out of sight, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo reached the third level of the greenhouse. They spotted an ivy branch covered in thorns blocking the stairwell. Without even thinking, they didn't bother to hop across and chose to enter the adjacent room. Going through a hole in the partition, the ghost hunters were inside another lavatory. Similar to the last one, there were leaf piles all over the place. But the foliage was brown and orange as if they fell off the trees in autumn. The most prominent features, however, were the thorny vines that stretched all over the area.

At this point, Luigi was bewildered. He couldn't find a door or a room south of the bathroom to go around the vine outside. So the only way to continue was the stairway. The question is, how can they cross that obstacle without getting spiked?

He figured he needed some assistance from the E. Gadd Hotline. "Professor?" he put the goggles on.

"Yes, sonny? What's the holdup?"

"Daisy, Colombo, and I are in a bathroom filled with thorns, and there's a vine in the middle of the stairs that we can't safely climb across. We probably have to get rid of it, but I don't know where to begin. It's not like we have some sort of buzz saw or anything to destroy it."

"Yeah, I can't find anything in here," Daisy shook her head.

"Arf?" Colombo examined the toilet bowl for a second. Glancing up, he saw a vine attached to the seat as it protruded through the wall. The Polterpup soon put two and two together. "Ruff! Ruff!"

Luigi briefly removed the goggles as he went over to his ghost dog. When Polterpup pointed at the plant with his paw, he raised an eyebrow.

"What is it, boy?"

"Hmm... I think I see what he's looking at," inspected E. Gadd. "It's that vine stuck to the toilet. Is that the same vine that's obstructing your route?"

"Probably," said Daisy. "I can see that now."

"I think you need to remove the vine by detaching it from the toilet. Since it's hard to break them apart, you might need to smash something into it."

"Um," Luigi searched around for anything heavy. "What about this metal trash bin?"

"That could suffice. You'll probably need to drag it with a Suction Shot if it's too heavy. With the plunger, you can slam it with enough force to potentially break the toilet."

"Sounds doable to me," Daisy nodded.

"Alright. I'll give it a try."

The man in green headed towards the sinks and released a red plunger onto the bin. He carefully pulled on the rope as he returned to the toilet.

"Stand back, guys."

Daisy and Colombo followed his order. They watched him fling the trash can, crashing the toilet loudly. Somehow, the bin didn't break on impact. Nonetheless, they spotted the end of the vine that acted as a rope.

"Thanks, Professor! And good job seeing that, Colombo!"

"Arf!" The dog received a scratch on the head.

"I'll go ahead and pull on this. That should get rid of the thorns on our side!"

Luigi rolled his eyes at the pun but smiled when he saw the stem die. The stairwell was now clear to traverse.

"Great work, fellas! Glad I could be of assistance! Over and out!"

"We're getting closer to the button. I can feel it! Let's go, Luigi!"

"Okey-do- Ahh!" he got interrupted when a purple gate stood in his way.

"Oh no! Why at this time?!"

"W-Who's here n-now?"

Luigi's question was soon answered when he heard some rustling. A deep, raspy groan echoed in the Thorny Bathroom. The plumber desperately looked around, afraid of where the new ghosts were hiding. Soon after, a small pile of leaves swirled around his body. Shaking his flashlight, he followed the trail until they stopped behind his back. Turning around, Luigi looked up and spotted a purple ghoul shrieking inches in front of his face.

"WAAAH!"

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_An alternate title for this chapter would be "Planting the Bait", but "Luigi and the Beanstalk" was the OG name I wrote in my outline. Since I couldn't decide, I asked my friends, Crystal Rose of Pollux and Infinite's Ruby, for their input. Thanks for the help with that!_

_To me, the Garden Suites wasn't very enticing. Some of the puzzles were tricky to solve, but I appreciate the developers for adding some difficulty to the game. Nevertheless, the entirety of this floor was like a shorter version of the Haunted Towers, and I'm not the biggest fan of that mansion in Dark Moon. It's just a dark, dank atmosphere full of plants. But there was one particular aspect of it, and I have something planned in Part 2 of the Garden Suites. What is it exactly? Well, why would I spoil that right now?!_

_As always, I appreciate everyone taking the time to read and review! Be sure to let me know what you think of this one, and discuss your opinion if this was a level that you enjoyed or disliked. Don't forget to click 'Follow/Fav' to receive updates on future chapters! And once again, I hope you're all secure as we're still dealing with these current times. Have a safe Memorial Day, too. God bless the soldiers who were brave to protect the country. This is TGN, signing off._


	17. Ch 16: Garden Grappling

_A/N:__ I wrote this faster than I expected to, but I'll gladly take it! And thanks to diablo86, alongside everyone else who has favorited the story, Hotel Horror has peaked at **90 favorites**! I'm very grateful for your support, and I'm here with Part 2 of the Garden Suites as a thank-you gift for this accomplishment!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Nintendo owns the rights to Luigi's Mansion and the characters. This rewrite is only for entertainment as I put in my own twists and differences to the plot._

* * *

**Chapter 16:** Garden Grappling

_Location: B1 – Basement_

Since Red Toad remained safe and secured in the professor's portable laboratory, he offered to help out the scientist fetch some tools to fix his computer after a fuse lit up his circuits. The old man appreciated Toad's help as he tightened some nuts and bolts below his desk.

"Hmm... this should do the trick," he mumbled with the wrench in his hand. "Any luck so far?"

Red looked up at the computer monitors. All the green displays were working again. "Yep! They're back to normal!"

"Ah, perfect! I kinda hoped this wouldn't happen, but you never know what to expect. Hopefully, I won't lose contact with Luigi."

"Speaking of which, do you think he's found any of our friends by now? I'm starting to miss Blue and Yellow right next to me."

"No worries, little fella. I'm sure Luigi is doing quite alright. In fact, he's probably showing those ghosts how brave he is while sucking them up in his Poltergust G-00!"

"You think so, Professor?"

"Ho ho ho! C'mon, now! Have I ever steered anyone wrong?"

* * *

_Location: 7F – Garden Suites_

"WAAAH!"

The answer to E. Gadd's question was yes, by the way.

"Luigi! What's wrong?" Daisy failed to recognize the ghost that freaked him out.

The man fell down when he saw a purple spirit pop out from behind the leaf trail. As he disappeared, Luigi swiftly grabbed his flashlight and shined it all over the Thorny Bathroom.

"Hey, watch where you're pointing with that thing!" Daisy held a hand in front of her face.

"S-Sorry, D-Daisy."

"Did a ghost scare you?"

"No, I'm scared because I can't wash my hands with those thorns in the way. Yes, a ghost scared the crap out of me!"

"Okay, calm down, man," she tried to alleviate his fears. "No need to yell at me like that. And don't try to apologize again. I completely understand," Daisy said when she saw Luigi open his mouth.

He exhaled deeply as a result. "Where is this ghost? I can't find him anywhere!"

"What did he look like?"

"It was some ghoul with an evil grin. He looked awfully similar to these Ceiling Surprise Ghosts that I came across in the very first mansion. But he acted very familiarly to these Sneakers from the Haunted Towers. He's probably a bit bigger and purple instead of pink. Nonetheless, he sneaked up from behind and frightened me!"

Luigi was unaware that the ghost materialized near his back again. His arms were raised and fingers were curled as he got close to him.

Daisy gasped as she barely noticed him. "Luigi!"

It was too late as he got caught in the purple ghost's grasp. This apparition, known as a Slinker, was holding his arms around Luigi's torso very tightly. He guffawed with an echo as he struggled to escape but to no avail. Daisy and Colombo became shocked before they became determined to rescue him. The Polterpup attacked first as he tried to bite down one of his two tails. The Slinker barely budged as he ignored the dog. Daisy charged her Strobulb and aimed carefully at the ghost's eyes. But it only caused Luigi to be blinded by the lights.

"OW!" he scrunched his eyelids shut.

"Sorry! Bad aim!"

Colombo snarled as he kept his grip on the Slinker's backside. Thankfully, he was able to yank him off Luigi's body so he could breathe. With his teeth still on the tail, Polterpup took care of the purple fiend by whacking him into the thorns above the sink. The ghost wailed as he felt the spikes penetrate through his physique. Colombo stopped as he allowed Luigi and Daisy to finish the job for him. They each grabbed a tail and slammed him onto the floor. The Slinker couldn't escape the power of the Poltergust vacuums.

"Attaboy," the plumber thanked his pet. Colombo barked happily and licked his cheek.

However, their happiness was stalled when they heard a deep grunt. As Luigi and Daisy shined their lights towards the bathtub, the former jumped as two more ghosts entered the fray. A large Hammer grumbled as his face was covered in orange leaves. The other was a Sneaker that Luigi mentioned earlier. This pink ghoul was an impish entity that loved to make Luigi scream by appearing out of nowhere. The first time Luigi faced one of these was at the Rooftop Pool of the Haunted Towers when he tried to acquire a special key. If he had to be honest, they were his least favorite species to come across because they were always an unpleasant surprise when they materialize and screech. Case in point, the Sneaker momentarily became invisible for several seconds and popped out near Luigi's right ear.

"AAAHHH!" he fell into Daisy's arms again.

The Sneaker pointed and laughed at the man in green. The Hammer was still deprived of sight as he couldn't get the leaves off his eyes.

Daisy cautiously set him down before talking to him. "Was that a Sneaker?"

"Y-Yes..."

"Alright. I'll take care of him. You and Colombo can handle the Hammer."

Luigi didn't take a second to disagree as he listened to her. Gulping a lump in his throat, he and the Polterpup slowly went over to the Hammer. He broke through the bathtub, yet his vision remained blocked. Colombo indicated with his front paws that Luigi can do a Burst so he can shine the flashlight on the Hammer's face.

"Good idea, boy!"

He pressed the triggers as the air blew out from the G-00. It knocked the Hammer back a few feet while the surrounding leaf piles scattered. Eventually, Luigi was able to remove the leaf blindfold. The Hammer wasn't very thankful as he was still acting hostile. He was able to slam his body right into the ghost hunters, but Luigi beat him into the punch. The man and the Polterpup ran around to each grab one of his tiny tails and began tugging to reduce his health. Luigi called a countdown to Colombo on when they should smash the Hammer. His dog listened obediently as they coordinated their series of slams.

Daisy was already busy with the Sneaker, shining the Dark-Light Device around as she pursued to unveil the creepy ghoul. Out of the corner of her eye, she managed to find the Sneaker from the mirror's reflection. She aligned in the right spot and smirked when she heard the ghost wail from the light. A quick flash of the Strobulb was the next thing she implemented before sucking up his tail into the 5000. She motioned her slams to the vines until the Sneaker lost all of his health.

After a few jump scares and slams, the Thorny Bathroom was clear of ghosts. The paranormal gate lifted out of existence, allowing the heroes to finally progress.

Another deep sigh escaped Luigi's lips, his mustache fluttering from his breath. "Sorry for the constant screams."

"I gotta be honest, Weege. I'd probably do the same thing if that ghost tried to give me a heart attack. But then I would get my payback with some slams, as I just did that not too long ago."

"You keep on getting better and better every time we search a new floor, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know I am," Daisy grinned. Luigi knew she was being half-cocky, half-serious. But that was a trait of hers that he never gets tired of. He couldn't help but laugh.

As they reached the next part of the stairway, everyone was annoyed that they had another pineapple plant at the top, but this one spewed out two smaller pineapples, giving them less time and space to react. Daisy led the way again, helping Luigi and herself run up the steps without getting squashed in juice again. Colombo also took his time before running up past the plant. After getting rid of it, Dr. Potter – invisible from the heroes – poured water onto the beanstalk. A new branch destroyed the next section, forcing them to enter the room beside them.

"Mamma Mia, why does he have to make this so hard on us?"

"Just to annoy us? I'm sure we're getting closer to the apex. We've made it so far up."

They entered the Ivy Bedroom with tons of ivy leaves covering the ceiling. The place was also filled with tall grass while the only light source was a wall lamp in the corner. Colombo whined when he spotted the door that led to the room north of them. The only problem was that it was covered by some thick branches. They were too sturdy to break apart by hand. Luigi tried with all of his might, but he couldn't tear them off the door.

"Ahh... Do I need to start lifting weights or something?"

"Hey, Luigi! Check this out," she guided him to a construction table. On top of it was a chainsaw with a flashing green light.

"Aw, great. Why couldn't we get this earlier to destroy that thorny vine? We wouldn't have to run into those ghosts then!"

"Never mind the past, Luigi. We can use this saw to cut through those branches! Now who should be the one to hold onto it?"

"I'll do it. I would be genuinely intimidated if I saw you holding a chainsaw."

"Come on, Luigi. It's not like I'm a killer psychopath."

Luigi shook his head and flashed the blinking light with the Strobulb. As the saw revved up, the plumber carefully attached it to the end of his Poltergust G-00, making his way towards the door. He lacerated the wood until it tore apart entirely.

"Great! Now we can access the... Ivy Bathroom, it looks like," Luigi gazed at the map.

Since he was distracted though, he didn't expect what happened next. Daisy and Colombo joined his side, ready to open the door. Suddenly, an azure vine smashed through the western wall. It divided into three tentacle-like structures and captured the heroes into their clutches.

"GAACK! What the hell?!" Luigi yelled.

"Urgh! I c-can't b-breathe..." Daisy choked as the vine wrapped around her neck.

Even as a ghost dog, Colombo felt the grip around his body as he whimpered, unable to break free.

"Criminy! I look away for a minute after fixing my computer, and I see this!" exclaimed E. Gadd.

"Y-You're... l-lucky... to enjoy... the show, P-Professor!" Daisy grunted.

"Luigi! Can you deploy Gooigi to get you out of there?"

"I... I can... t-try..." he continued to suffocate. He searched with his fingers for the button on his Poltergust. Once he found it, he pushed it and became momentarily unconscious. The gooey man ran over to the chainsaw and reactivated it. He went for the princess first.

**"I know you can't really stay still from this, but hold on tight."**

Daisy nodded as she restrained from moving. Gooigi cautiously aimed the sharp tool at her vine until it was destroyed. The tomboy landed roughly on her sneakers and crawled away from the other tentacles.

**"You're next, Colombo!"**

The Polterpup stopped wriggling as the chainsaw penetrated the thick vine. A few seconds later, his dog was out of the trap, joining Daisy for comfort. That left Luigi's own body as he looked worse for wear. Again, the plumber had transferred his conscience to his clone; yet just from the sight of him not moving, one could be mistaken that he was drawing his last breath. And that's exactly what Daisy regrettably thought to herself. In her eyes, he was losing oxygen by the second. Gooigi had to hurry, and that's what he did as he cut through the last tentacle and released him. With a relieving sigh, he gave everyone a thumbs-up before returning to the G-00's tank.

"Luigi," the princess hurried over to him. "Luigi, are you alright?"

His Polterpup sniffed his face as he remained lying in the grass. The man flinched when he felt his tongue lick his bandaged nose.

"Ahh... My goodness, that wasn't pleasant," he stretched his arms and shoulders.

"Heaven's sake, I can imagine that," E. Gadd solemnly replied. "You okay, sonny?"

"To put it bluntly, no. But I can't give up now."

"Do you want to rest for a while?"

"I think I'll be fine."

"If you say so," Daisy wasn't satisfied with his response. She knew how badly Luigi wanted to persevere and forget all the bad things that happened to him thus far.

The ghost hunters entered the Ivy Bathroom ahead. However, it could be called the Watermelon Bathroom just from what they saw; there were actual watermelons growing all over the place! There were even a few inside the bathtub. Colombo was so fascinated that he tried to bite into one of the biggest melons. It wasn't as tasty as the Gold Bones, but it was watery and delectable – the perfect combination.

"I really hope we don't have to take a big watermelon to a cabana," Luigi moaned.

"What brought up that idea?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"Mario told me that he won a Shine Sprite for bringing the largest melon in Gelato Beach. It was during his vacation that got ruined by Bowser Jr. and his graffiti brush."

"Oh, _that_ adventure. Yeah, I recall Peach telling me that she got kidnapped by him and had to stay afloat on a rubber duck. It sounded really absurd, but apparently that was the truth!"

"As bad as it was for her, at least she didn't have to deal with a bunch of naughty Cataquacks that kept destroying the melons."

"I bet Mario was pretty exhausted from that, huh?"

"You bet? It had nothing to do with Isle Delfino's pollution problem! Sometimes, those Piantas are as dumb as a doorknob."

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo interrupted after he finished eating.

"Sorry, Colombo. We're getting off-topic again, are we?"

"Arf!" He then pointed at the humongous watermelon in the bathroom. It was blocking the pathway that led to the next flight of stairs.

"I think it's way too big and heavy for us to move it with our hands. Can you and Gooigi yank it with your plungers?" suggested Daisy.

Luigi nodded as he shot his Suction Shot on the rind. As he pulled it on, he expelled Gooigi to copy the move. With double the power, the two Luigis smashed the giant fruit into pieces. However, they met a new surprise. What lied behind the melon was a yellow glutton known as a Gobber. Similar to Mr. Luggs, he enjoyed devouring tons of food in his large stomach. His main move was shooting globs of greasy goo to make Luigi slip.

"Ew! Gross!" Daisy stuck her tongue out. "I've already been drenched in pineapple juice! I don't need this as well!"

**"Come on, Daisy! I can't do this alone!"** Gooigi begged since the real Luigi was still sleeping.

"Ugh, fine... I'm staying as far away as I can though!"

**"That's pretty smart because whenever I get close to them, they slam me with their gut!"**

Since the Gobber remained stagnant on the floor, it was practically impossible to sneak behind, grab his tail, and slam him. They had to drain his health – the long and hard way. Gooigi and Daisy kept their distance as they shined their Strobulbs and used the suction power to weaken the Gobber. The fat ghoul started spewing more goo puddles at the heroes, but Colombo was quick enough to clean them. To his disgust, the goo tasted very sour and bitter. It was for the best as the two kept their balance without slipping or getting knocked out by the ghost. After a half-minute of sucking (don't take that out of context), they finally defeated the Gobber as he got pulled into Gooigi's Poltergust. The heroes shared a high-five before the gooey bro returned to the tank.

"We're finally done with that! He was just as appalling as that fatso we met in the Dining Room!" Daisy spat.

"Yeah, I'm glad we got rid of him. Let's head on up now."

Luigi exited the bathroom and spotted the beanstalk's apex. They were at least another flight or two away. He and the others crossed over a set of leaf pathways after blowing air to unravel it. As they made more progress, Luigi passed a small hole in the wall followed by a blocked doorway on the next level. Some crows caused him to freeze as they flew over his head. Then, he got a view of the highest door. It was aligned with Petunia's open mouth. Somehow, they needed to access the door to traverse over to the plant. Luigi couldn't figure out how to get there, and it got even worse when he spotted the hovering watering can.

"How many times is Dr. Pot-sticker gonna lay traps on us?" Daisy huffed.

"The more you make fun of my name, the more I'll torment you! In some way, Petunia will make you eat your words!"

Dr. Potter poured some more of his magical water on his beloved flytrap. A large stem extended out to where they were standing. Luigi got so spooked that he had no choice but to run down the steps.

"WAH!" He accidentally tripped and tumbled down as his head hit the cracked wall, destroying it entirely. "Augh..."

Daisy and Colombo barely escaped in time as they landed next to Luigi. They helped him up after his slight concussion.

"Should I bother asking if you're alright? Or is that making it worse?"

"At this point, I'm just expecting to get hurt every now and then," he rubbed his aching forehead.

Feeling remorseful, Colombo jumped into his owner's arms and playfully licked his cheek again to cheer him up. It seemed to work momentarily as the plumber couldn't help but bear a little smile.

"I guess we should enter this room since that stairway is broken, too."

"If we got no other way, then I'll second that," Daisy told him.

Through the crumbling aperture, Luigi was amazed by the scenery. Despite how dark it was, some exotic purple mushrooms were growing in the suite. A few of them were large enough that one could bounce on them. In fact, Luigi had the idea that he could use the mushrooms to make his way up to the ledge above.

"Whatcha looking at, Luigi?"

"That opening up there. I think we can climb by bouncing up. We just need to reach the ledge somehow."

"Hmm, this ramp looks like a good spot jump from," she referred to the turquoise plant.

"And this cart has a giant mushroom on it. If I can pull this closer, we should be in a good spot to get up there!"

Luigi pulled the wagon over to the appropriate spot as Daisy and Colombo walked on the plant. The Polterpup was the first to jump on the mushroom as he woofed happily from the spring.

"Whoa! That looks fun! And he made it up there."

"Technically, he could float his way there, but I think he wanted to test it out," Luigi smiled.

"Cool! Me next!" Daisy bent her knees, leaped as high she could, and bounced off the mushroom to land on the sill. "Awesome! Your turn, Luigi!"

Getting in position, he went over to the mushroom and used a Burst to get a boost of air.

"Yippee!" he yelled before landing on his bottom. Laughing it off, they maneuvered to the hole in the ceiling where it led to a higher section of the Mushroom Suite after hopping off another purple mushroom. They ended up reaching the door that Luigi found earlier. As they exited the room, the top of Petunia was in clear sight.

"Neat! We're almost there, guys!" Daisy beamed.

Colombo leaped over as he discovered another leaf path rolled up in a ball. Pushing it with his nose, he moved it closer for Luigi to unravel the remainder with the Poltergust's suction power. Afterward, the humans took turns to cross the gaps with the vines until they finally reached the mouth.

"Whew! We made it!" Luigi sighed.

"Now how do we get the button?" Daisy wondered.

"Looks like you'll have to open it up entirely," E. Gadd presumed. "You should attach a Suction Shot to both sides and simultaneously pull on it like you did with that watermelon!"

"Seems reasonable," Luigi said as he went over to the left of the mouth. After firing a plunger, Gooigi was released to use his Suction Shot on the right. They pulled together with enough force for the button to fly out.

Then, it landed right on top of Gooigi's head. **"Ouch!"** The button started to roll off the plant.

Daisy gasped as she and Colombo were far away from it. Luigi also made a run for the button.

"No no no no no no no!" he ran past Gooigi with panic in his voice.

It was too late as they watched it descend to the very bottom of the Atrium.

"NO! You can't be serious!" he punched the plant's surface in agony.

"We've come all this way just for the stupid thing to drop?! What a waste of our time!" Daisy groaned.

Colombo was saddened that he could grab the button before it fell. He felt guilty as he whined sadly at his owner.

"It's not your fault, cagnetto. We didn't expect it to go that way."

"To be fair, I should've done something or at least react in time," fretted Daisy.

"_Sigh_, we just got to make our way down, I guess."

"Isn't there a faster way to descend to the base? Like, do you think we can use the beanstalk as a slide?"

"Um, I don't know about that, Daisy."

"Come on, it's worth a shot! I'm already pooped from climbing these dumb stairs!"

"Well, when you put it that way..."

"Great! Now let's go!"

"H-Hold on, Daisy! Let's find a safe place to slide-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as Daisy pulled his hand and instantly dropped from the center petal. They spun down a long, spiral branch around the beanstalk.

"WAAAH!" Luigi cried.

"Almost there!"

Colombo chose to leap from the very top and slowly floated down without hurting himself. He got to the bottom quickly before Daisy and Luigi. While the princess landed perfectly on her feet, Luigi fell backward and hit his back against the rough floor.

"Oof! Mamma Mia..." his head began to spin.

"Alright... That wasn't my smartest decision ever," Daisy felt woozy as well.

Luigi shook off his anxiety and got back up on his feet. His face beamed as he finally saw the elevator button in the heart of the Atrium floor. As relief washed over him like a tsunami, he reached down and-

**"RAAAGH!"**

"EYAAAH!"

The barking didn't come from Colombo at all. Instead, it was another Venus flytrap, only this one was in a small pot. The plant extended its stem over and ate the button.

"What the heck?! Is this déjà vu or some mumbo-jumbo crap?!" Daisy hit her breaking point.

"Hoo hoo hoo... Excellent, my dear Pumpkin," Dr. Potter petted his potted plant as he stuffed the button in his knapsack.

"Okay, I take back what I said about Petunia. Pumpkin is a _worse_ name for a Venus flytrap!"

**"Arf! Arf! Arf!"** Pumpkin puffed in grunts repeatedly at Daisy's comment.

"Don't be so rude, you whiny, little wench!"

"I'm not a wench! I'm a princess! And for the record, _my_ name happens to be much better and appropriate for someone like me!"

"Daisy..." Luigi wanted to quell her ire.

"Ah, yes. I do recall the green bean mentioning your name before. Daisy... Very fitting indeed. A particular kind of flower that symbolizes pureness, simplicity, and sometimes good luck. But did you know it can also symbolize death, which what you're about to experience?!"

**"Ruff!"** Pumpkin extended her neck at the heroes. They dove off to the sides to avoid her sharp, hungry mouth.

"Ack! D-Dr. Potter! P-Please consider being less hostile towards us!" Luigi implored. "I don't want to cause any more harm to your garden and plants!"

"You've already done enough damage throughout your climb, you silly, green turnip! You've exposed too much light to my Strobe Flowers that they withered! You smashed my beloved watermelons! My beautiful leaf piles that I've raked are gone! And you somehow managed to evade Petunia's grasp and killed some of her precious vines!"

"Hey! It's not our fault that we don't want to get choked by a wild, vicious beanstalk!" Daisy countered.

"Are you questioning my beautiful pretties again?"

"You said it, not me."

"Well, maybe a few more beauties will change your mind."

"W-What do you mean by that?" Luigi stuttered.

Dr. Potter snickered to himself while stroking Pumpkin's head. "Oh, Sisters! Come out from your graves!"

Luigi's eyes bulged as he witnessed a pair of hands reaching out from the floor. Colombo cautiously took some steps back near his human. Daisy, on the other side of the Atrium, was shocked as well. The hands were thick and purple, and the entity fully unveiled herself in front of the plumber. She wore a green hat and carried a large mirror. Another pair of hands came out from the floor. This one was a green, slender ghoul with a purple hat and a medium-sized mirror. Finally, some tiny yellow arms with an even smaller mirror popped out from the garden.

He didn't need a second to guess who these ghosts were. But someone else was quick to respond.

"My stars! Why, it's the famous Three Sisters!" E. Gadd bellowed. "You've fought these celebrities before in the Haunted Towers' graveyard!"

"Do you _have_ to remind me about that, Professor?!" Luigi narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't a big fan of the graveyard shift, and I still don't like it!"

"Ha ha ha! Hello, Luigi!" the purple ghost named Herlinda waved at him. "Do you miss us dearly?"

"I bet he hasn't forgotten us at all!" the green ghost named Belinda sneered. "It feels like ages since we've met!"

"Aw, the little cutie pie looks so cute whenever he's afraid!" the littlest ghost, Lucinda, ogled. "He hasn't changed a bit, which suits his personality!"

"Hoo hoo hoo! Now do you see what you're up against?" Dr. Potter chuckled. "I've invited these three to attend my beautiful Garden Suites and live here happily for eternity! It was so simple to convince them since they adore gardening. But most of all, they agreed to surprise you if you managed to get close to this elevator button!" he pulled it out just to taunt Luigi once more. "Prepare to suffer the wrath of my plants and the Sisters!"

"Eek!" Luigi hurried out of the way when Pumpkin tried to bite him. He also had to dodge Herlinda waving her mirror around.

"What's the matter, Luigi?" Belinda teased. "Don't you miss our stunning beauty?"

"I-I did, Belinda... back when you were normal from the Dark Moon!"

Lucinda giggled at the terrified man. "Hehehe! At least you admit that you missed us! We were afraid that you would forget our names!"

"If it wasn't for the Professor, I wouldn't get to know you better."

"Luigi isn't really the most forgetful being on the planet. He's just clumsy, that's all!" Herlinda guffawed.

"Way to ruin the mood!"

"Luigi!" Daisy yelled from afar. "Get your act together, will ya? This isn't the time to socialize with celebrities that want to end your life!"

The Italian shook his head rapidly as he shifted his focus on what truly mattered. Daisy was right. They needed to get out of here with that button. But they had to face the Sisters along with the crazy, old gardener, Dr. Potter. Not to mention, his other killer flytrap, poorly named 'Pumpkin'.

If Luigi had to guess, he figured the Three Sisters would have a similar attack pattern to the fight he endured in the Haunted Towers. They would spin around him in circles until one of them unveiled their face from behind their mirror. In the case that did happen, at least he can take on the female ghosts with some confidence. The only concern was how to defeat Dr. Potter and his deadly plant. He had no clue what to expect from them. For now, he shared the information with Daisy, who acknowledged his advice.

The start of the battle mostly consisted of Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo dodging Pumpkin from reaching out to them while avoiding the Sisters and their mirror attacks. The plumber ducked and dived underneath a bench when Lucinda nearly got him in the face. He whimpered as he couldn't find an open opportunity to flash the Strobulb at them. Dr. Potter guided Pumpkin over to the man huddling near the wall. Just as the gardener ordered his flytrap to bite Luigi, Colombo interfered by jumping at Pumpkin, causing her to recoil.

"You stupid pooch! I've dealt with annoying dogs like you in my days, and all they do is ruin my crops and flowers!"

Colombo couldn't help but give Dr. Potter a smug grin. "Ruff!"

"Grr! Pumpkin! Ground that irritating mutt!"

**"Arf! Arf!" **Pumpkin lunged at the dog, but he easily evaded her.

Luigi couldn't sit and cower as he was afraid that Dr. Potter would sneak behind him. He hurried over to the beanstalk. From a distance, he watched Daisy defending herself from Belinda and Herlinda. With a determined face, the princess watched the ghosts carefully as they circled around. Moments later, Herlinda revealed her face to jeer at the tomboy.

"Shine the light at her, Daisy!" Luigi called.

She heard him loud and clear and released a quick flash at her. It was a successful effort as Daisy pulled Herlinda into the hose of the 5000.

"Ooh! I'm reliving flashbacks of getting sucked inside! I can't bear the inner depths of that dreaded vacuum!"

"Don't worry, Herlinda! I'll save you!"

"Oh yeah? Betcha you won't see this coming!" Daisy hurled the large Sister into the other.

"Ahh!" Belinda howled.

"Yargh! You're crushing me and my beloved sibling!" Herlinda groused.

Meanwhile, Luigi and Colombo were being chased by Lucinda and Pumpkin. The Polterpup did his best to keep the flytrap at bay while the plumber paid attention to the yellow apparition. Lucinda hovered around until she momentarily peeked at him. Luigi aimed his Strobulb and barely caught her in the light.

"Yipe! That's too bright for my eyes!"

"Grr! You're not supposed to do that!" Dr. Potter muttered.

Luigi dragged Lucinda close to the G-00's nozzle and drained her health. He whacked her near the base of the beanstalk as she cried out in pain.

"Lucinda! You okay, dear?" Belinda was worried.

"Hah... Not exactly. Luigi gave me a heavy wallop!"

"I'm gonna regret this by the time this fight ends, but I can't surrender!" Luigi cringed.

"Who says you can't, you troublesome pest?!" Dr. Potter roared. "If only I had my pesticide, I'd spray your face until you perish like a worthless weed!"

"We've already heard that joke before, Mr. Garden Fairy! The Boo we caught beat you to it!"

"Like I care, deadly flower princess!"

"Watch your mouth, bucko! Or do you want me to slam the fat ghost into you until I squash like you like a pancake?"

"Hey, I'm not fat!" Herlinda scoffed. "I'm astonishingly broad!"

Ignoring her statement, Daisy targeted Belinda next. She waited until the green ghost exposed her cheeky grin. Belinda immediately regretted her actions as she, too, suffered the suction power of the 5000. Daisy panted as the Sister put up a strong fight to escape. Ultimately, she earned the advantage, slapping the ghost to and fro. Daisy landed a major hit on Lucinda when the yellow ghost tried to scurry away from Luigi.

"Owie! That really hurts!"

"That's not my fault!" Belinda excused herself.

"Sisters, why are you losing to these loafers?! Get a grip!" Dr. Potter snapped at them.

"That's odd. I don't see you helping us whatsoever!" Herlinda placed her hands on her hips.

"Hello? I've got a potted plant in my hands, in case you're blind!"

"Says the one who's wearing glasses," Lucinda rolled her eyes... even though she didn't have pupils in her entranced state.

Luigi went for the younger Sister again and stunned her with the flashlight. Lucinda was getting close to losing her stamina since she was technically the weakest of the three. A few slams did the trick as the yellow ghost gave out one last cry.

"Aah! I can't fight back! Belinda! Herlinda! It's up to you!" she hollered before getting trapped in the G-00.

"Now it's an even match! Three-on-three!" Daisy smirked.

"Our little sibling may be a brat, but she's still family!" Belinda growled.

"Then why don't you join her? Luigi, get her!"

Before he could, Colombo helped out by swiping the mirror out of her hands. Belinda threw a fit and chased the Polterpup around the Atrium. She failed to catch up and became exhausted to the point where she couldn't run. Luigi easily stupefied the green-skinned celebrity and grabbed her tail in the nozzle. Belinda suffered several slams until she was done for.

"Rah! I can't believe I failed again! Herlinda, save yourself!"

"I'll do whatever it takes to survive!" the purple spirit declared.

"Grah! This plan is falling apart like an unwatered bonsai plant!"

"Weird analogy, but okay," Daisy shrugged. She returned her gaze at the last Sister who reflected a flash with the mirror's reflection. Herlinda was being stubborn as she shielded her face the whole time. It became more frustrating when the ghost attacked her with the mirror when she least expected it. As a result, she felt a hard slap against her cheek.

"Daisy!" Luigi yelled as he ran away from Dr. Potter.

"I'm fine! Trust me!"

"Ruff!" Colombo got Luigi's attention as he saw Pumpkin lunge at him again. The plumber narrowly avoided her teeth as he landed awkwardly. At the same time, Pumpkin got her mouth stuck on some wooden boards near Petunia's stump. Beneath the planks was a hidden buzz saw that became visible for Luigi. As soon as he spotted the tool, his mind clicked. Pumpkin had a very long neck whenever she attacked. If he could sever the stem, it could offset Dr. Potter and his plant. But he had to figure out how to stop Pumpkin from moving.

Then, Luigi glanced at some plant buds growing into some squashes. He had an inkling that he needed to trick the flytrap into biting one of the sturdy fruits. With his plan set up, he ran around the Atrium, purposefully avoiding Daisy as she kept battling Herlinda. Pumpkin snarled before she sprung her neck towards the plumber who was hiding behind the squash. Dr. Potter was befuddled as he tried to pull her away. Due to his old age and lack of vigor, he struggled mightily to get Pumpkin off the plant. Luigi took advantage and activated the saw. He rushed over to slice the stem in two, separating Pumpkin and Dr. Potter.

"NO! Pumpkin! You disgraceful lima bean! I'll get you for this!"

Luigi yelped as the boss threw his watering can at him. He had to hurry and run up to him with the Strobulb locked. As he released the bright flash, Dr. Potter shrieked. He felt his tail getting sucked up in the Poltergust G-00 before Luigi furiously whacked the elder into Petunia's stump five times. The ghost managed to break free and hovered over to his watering can. He poured the water into the pot, reincarnating Pumpkin from the soil.

**"Arf! Grrr!"**

"Yes, yes, I know, my sweet Pumpkin. That big-schnoz cretin will understand what it's like to be plant food!"

As Luigi scurried from another one of her forward lunges, Colombo retaliated by sending the plant back at Dr. Potter. She unintentionally knocked the glasses off his face.

"Gah! My bifocals!"

Elsewhere, Daisy still couldn't get ahold of the final Sister. She enlisted in Colombo's assistance, whistling at the Polterpup.

"Colombo! Fetch her mirror!"

"Ruff!" he understood. The white dog dashed over to the purple icon and stole her prized possession.

"No! I feel naked without my mirror!"

"That's tough luck because this will only help us out!" Daisy sneered.

Herlinda started screaming as she faced the Poltergust 5000 a second time. In the end, she experienced the same fate as Belinda and Lucinda – getting stuck in the vacuum. Now that the Three Sisters were done for, Daisy reunited with her friends as they watched Dr. Potter, completely disoriented, search for his glasses. He looked helpless for the first time.

"I'm not done yet, whippersnappers! Pumpkin and I will- YAACK!"

"Sorry, what was that?" Daisy innocently questioned. "I couldn't hear over the sound of you crying."

"I wasn't crying! I'm blinded, especially since my glasses are gone!"

"It's not like they were sunglasses, Dr. Botched Botanist!"

"Oh, _now_ you address me as 'Doctor'?!"

Luigi had enough of their quarrel as he tugged on his tail once again. Daisy joined in as she wanted a piece of the final hit. Colombo did a backflip, barking in encouragement as he watched the ghost hunters slam him repeatedly. Dr. Potter let go of Pumpkin before she wilted into nothing again. He wanted to deny the inevitable, but it was time to face the truth.

He was about to lose.

"At least make sure the plants won't die!" he bellowed as his beard got caught in the G-00's nozzle.

Seconds later, he grabbed the elevator button and tossed it high in the air before his whole body was officially trapped. The watering can landed next to the heroes before the Atrium lit up briefly. A green sprout appeared from one of the roots, several feet below the button that sat on a stray leaf.

Luigi and Daisy collectively exhaled as they completed another tiring battle against the bosses. The former was guilty for hurting the Sisters since they never treated him with disrespect. Dr. Potter, on the other hand, was rather cranky almost all the time. Yet somehow, he couldn't help but feel upset. The reason for that? He didn't know himself.

"Ruff?"

"Oh. Sorry, boy. I just lost track."

"I think it's safe to say that we're done with this floor. But we need to grab that button for good."

Luigi did just that as he grabbed Dr. Potter's can and watered the sprout. It grew into a ladder vine, allowing the plumber to climb up and reach the prize. The glowing object was marked with an '**8**', another positive sign that they were inching closer to Hellen's hideout.

"Got it!"

"Great work, lads!" E. Gadd announced. "I bet the Garden Suites was quite a journey, am I right?"

"Far from it," Daisy rolled her eyes. "As much as I admire flowers and nature, I don't want to deal with this floor again."

"I'm afraid I'm on the same boat," Luigi concurred.

"Hmm... I won't bother to start a debate. Just head on back to the elevator and insert the new button! You're getting closer, youngsters!"

Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo had a legitimate reason to smile as they slowly made their way back to the main hall. With no more signs of ghosts, snakes, or killer plants, it was a pleasant stroll for them. Calling the elevator, they stepped in and prepared for the next level.

"Ready, guys?" Luigi turned to his partners.

"Sure am!"

"Arf!"

"Ooh!" the man watched the '**8**' button fly out of his fingers and twist right next to the '**7**'. "Oh yeah! Time to advance to the next floor!"

That's when he reached out to tap the button... only for it to be taken out of the panel.

"Huh?!" the heroes gasped.

They all turned around to the back of the elevator and spotted the perpetrator. In front of them was a devious, purple cat with three slender tails.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Before I get to the elephant in the room, I wanted to point out some of the disparities in this walkthrough. I added the Sneaker and Gobber in separate scenes. Both of these ghosts originated in Dark Moon. Not only did they make an appearance, but I also included the Three Sisters for the dual boss fight with Dr. Potter. Since they were the mid-bosses of the Haunted Towers, a very similar environment to the Garden Suites, I thought it was fitting to put them in here. At one point, I was going to save them for a future arc, but this was the decision I made._

_Then, we have the ending. For those who've gotten far into the game, you might be surprised to see that Polterkitty stole the elevator button. The thing is, she's here after completing 7F when she initially became a hindrance after 8F instead. So before we could even progress to Paranormal Productions, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo will be on the hunt for the elevator button... which means they're exploring the Garden Suites... again. Yeah, I'm horrible. You don't need to say it. (Regardless of my plan, Luigi has to chase the kitty on this level.)_

_With that being said, I'll see you in the extended arc of the Garden Suites as Luigi pursues Hellen Gravely's pet. As always, thanks for the support and the reviews so far. Let me know what you think of this one! Until then, see you all in Ch. 17 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	18. Ch 17: Polterkitty on the Loose

_A/N:__ In the wake of the most recent events going on in the world, I'm not going to make a massive intro here. I'm just going to lead you straight into the chapter. But once again, be safe out there. It's a cruel, messed-up world that we live in..._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Luigi, Mario, and the other characters are owned by Nintendo._

* * *

**Chapter 17:** Polterkitty on the Loose

_~Earlier_

...

_"Bah! At this rate, he's gonna keep moving up in my hotel!"_ Hellen slammed the arm of her chair. Her temper exploded as she witnessed the fight between Dr. Potter and the Three Sisters. The ghosts were losing after Luigi sucked up Belinda and Lucinda. Hellen's rage came to a boil as Herlinda got trapped as well.

Things were not looking so well for Dr. Potter as his glasses fell off his face.

The hotel owner rose up from her seat, marched around her desk, and stood in front of her cat with steam fuming out of her ears. Polterkitty was lazily moving her ball of yarn in her bed before Hellen swiped it away.

_"Mrow!"_

_"Can't you see the problem here?! That plumber is kidnapping my hotel staff left and right as if they were a bunch of useless ants! My gardener is about to get sucked up as well! They're pretty much going to take the next elevator button and reach the Paranormal Productions stage in due time! I want you to steal it from them before they could get the chance to move forward!"_

_"Meow!"_ Polterkitty complained.

_"You can have your yarn back after you pilfer that button from his dirty, little hands!" _she chucked the ball at Polterkitty's broken scratching post.

The purple feline narrowed her azure eyes at her owner, completely repulsed. Was stopping Luigi the only thing she cared about aside from her admiration for King Boo? Polterkitty missed Hellen when she used to be calm, collected, and caring towards her. She sadly reminisced the days they would relax, sitting peacefully in her lap while the ghost scratched her transparent fur. But the more her owner acted hostile, the less loved she felt. It started to show when Polterkitty's facial expression switched from incensed to depressed.

_"Oh, my sweet, little angel. Don't be so fretful,"_ Hellen sounded sympathetic for the first time in a while. _"You know how much I adore you. But for now, do me a favor and stop that meddling plumber. Then we can please old King Boo so that he'll love us forever!"_

Frankly, Polterkitty couldn't trust that first statement. How much did Hellen _really_ care for her?

Eliciting another unenthusiastic meow, she got on her feet, stretched her back, sharpened her nails, and quietly left the Main Observation Room. Although she couldn't see her owner as she strolled out, Hellen had a sinister grin plastered on her face.

_"If my employees are incompetent to follow my directions, I should expect better results from my darling,"_ she sneered while applying some makeup on her cheeks. _"I better hope that she won't fail me..."_

* * *

Before Luigi could progress, a strange, translucent animal with a purple aura popped their head out of the elevator panel, removing the '**8**' button from its slot. The ghost happened to be a purple cat who teased the plumber by showing off the glowing object that was held in her mouth.

"Huh?!"

"Hey!" Daisy scowled. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Similar to Polterpup, the Polterkitty only replied in sounds. Moments later, she tossed it above her and swallowed the button down her throat! She deviously meowed.

"Aah!" Luigi was aghast. This reminded him of the time when Polterpup swallowed the special key of the Haunted Towers.

Oh no... If that was the case, then...

"Mrow!" Polterkitty hissed when Daisy tried to confront her. The feline responded with a fierce clawing motion, causing the princess to back away. Turning towards the mirror, she licked her paw, ignoring the heroes. Luigi pleaded to the animal.

"Um, hello?"

"Mrow?" she paused to glare at the plumber.

"Uh... I'm sorry to bother you, b-but... we need that elevator button back. Can you please, ugh, spit out a hairball and give it back?"

"Luigi, why are you sweet-talking your way out of this?" Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"Because she's a cat and-"

"She's also a ghost, for crying out loud! She's no different than the Goobs or everyone else we've caught!"

"Meow!" Polterkitty took some offense to Daisy's words.

"Well, it's true! Just give us the button back now!" she demanded, extended her open hand at her.

Polterkitty refused as she lunged her paw at the woman again. This time, she managed to graze her wrist, leaving a minor scratch mark on her skin.

"Ow!"

"Daisy!"

"Arf?" Colombo didn't understand why the cat was acting rude to them. He wasn't very aggressive towards Luigi or the other humans when he first met them. It was the polar opposite with this strange creature. He cautiously crawled near the cat and sniffed his nose near her fur. Polterkitty noticed him and retaliated with another fierce scowl, threatening to scratch him as well, regardless if they were both animal ghosts.

"That little p-" Daisy huffed in ire. "Ugh! I wish I could say something vulgar, but that'd probably be a bit too much.'

"You're not bleeding, are you?"

"Not as bad as your cuts, honestly. I don't know how this gash isn't too severe."

"Ruff!" Colombo yapped as he watched Polterkitty strutting out of the elevator with attitude. The feline turned to the heroes with another hiss before quickly running down the dark hallway.

"Oh no. Oh, hell no! Don't tell me we have to get that button again! We're gonna be stuck on this floor for eternity!" Daisy threw her arms in frustration.

Luigi internally groaned. Now _this_ was very similar to his Dark Moon quest. It was all about chasing down the required tool. Back then, it was time-consuming and exhausting whenever Luigi had to track down Polterpup in several of the mansions. But after seeing how menacing the cat spirit was, the man had a bad feeling that this task was going to be much more difficult.

Before anyone exited the lift, E. Gadd's face appeared on the small monitor of the elevator tracker. The old scientist figured he would contact them this way instead of the Virtual Boo.

"Luigi! Did you see what just happened there?!"

"I'm afraid we did."

"Um, you're a little too late to the party, Professor," Daisy placed her hands on her hips. "We worked our butts off to climb this stupid garden that wasn't even appealing in the first place! All of our efforts were apparently for naught as it got stolen by some fiendish feline!"

"It's just a small kitty, Daisy. You don't need to exaggerate."

The princess gave her partner a quizzical look. "I'm surprised you're staying calm. How can you act like this when we're clearly in another crisis?! And are you not aware that the 'small kitty' was a freaking ghost?!"

"I am aware of that, Daisy. I'm not happy about it, but I'm trying not to open up my Pandora's box of fears again. Plus, even if she wasn't a ghost, I don't want to act so cruelly to her. Intentionally, at least. I tried not to hurt Colombo whenever I had to chase him in Evershade Valley."

"Ruff!" Polterpup backed his statement.

"In case you're tired of me screaming like a crybaby every five minutes, I don't want to annoy you."

"What makes you say that?" Luigi didn't reply as he stared at his shoes. Daisy's lips curved down. "Do you believe that I actually think of you that way after all you've done? Luigi, I don't care about the fact that you're scared of a lot of things. Everyone has a phobia of some sort."

"Yeah, but I practically have phobophobia," Luigi pouted.

"Listen, fellers. We can discuss this at another time. Right now, your new objective should be to track down that sneaky cat and retrieve the button from her! If anything she's like Polterpup, but she's more of a Polterkitty, if you catch my drift. I digress though. You can't afford to give up right now!"

Completely flustered and aggravated, Daisy slapped a hand on her forehead. "Ugh, fine... If we have no other choice, then let's get a move on. Come on, guys."

"Arf!"

Luigi silently nodded as they retraced through the opening hallway. The heroes thoroughly searched everywhere before stopping at the entrance to the Atrium. To their discontent, the spectral feline was nowhere to be found – not on the stone walkway, not in the grass or the trees, and not behind the flowers.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that little furball ran up to the top of the Suites. Even worse, what if she escapes the entire floor?! How would we grab the button if the elevator can't take us to the higher levels?!"

"Out of the three of us, the only one who could go through walls and ceilings is Colombo. You wouldn't mind trying to grab the button by yourself if we were to face this situation, would you, boy?"

"Ruff! Ruff!" With a wagging tail, that was his eager reply for _'I'm up to the task!'_

Luigi smiled at his pet, knowing that he would be ready as backup.

"So, how will we find this cat normally? She could be anywhere in this hotel and remain invisible like most of the ghosts. It'd be tricky for us to discover her, if we can even do that."

"If I recall, I was able to follow Colombo in Evershade Valley by following his footprints."

"Footprints? Last I checked, he hasn't left any trails around us. Unless his paws were covered in mud, then I don't understand that."

"That's because they're well-hidden. He leaves his pawprints behind which can be disclosed by the power of the Dark-Light Device."

Luigi demonstrated as he shined the rainbow beam behind his Polterpup. To prove his claim, he showed Daisy all of Colombo's prints that continued down the hallway and past the corner. Even better, there was a continuous chain of _purple_ paw prints mixed with the glowing, white presence. That diminished their suspicions, alongside the imprint of Polterkitty on the double doors.

"You see that? The cat jumped through the entrance here. If I had to use spectral clues to track down Colombo, we can do the same thing to corner that kitty."

"Okay, this should make our exploration a lot less difficult!" Daisy was motivated.

Luigi briefly inhaled a deep breath before entering the Atrium for the second time today. Instantaneously, he and Daisy turned on their Dark-Light Devices to uncover the tracks. In front of their eyes were purple paw prints littered around the base of Petunia. Based on where the trail was going, Polterkitty climbed up to at least the second level of the Garden Suites. Everyone knew they had to take the stairs again, as much as they were tired of walking up inclines. Before they could, the princess heard a strange, buzzing sound.

"Um, is it just me, or does it sound like bees are nearby?"

"Arf?" Colombo leaned back at a little. Even though he wasn't afraid of most things, insects – most particularly, bees – startled him the most. He always abhorred the noise of buzzing in his ears.

Luigi sluggishly tilted his head up and found a large, white nest, shaking violently above them. He couldn't get the words out of his mouth as he gulped a lump down his throat. The second he was about to warn his friends, it fell down.

"LOOK OUT!" Luigi pulled Daisy backward.

"Whoa!"

"Ruff!" Colombo scurried away in time.

When the nest got destroyed, an army of Mini Goobs and Mini Hammers spread out like an infested swarm of wasps. To add more chaos into the mix, there were a bunch of bones scattered around the Atrium floor. They weren't the kind of bones that Polterpup can chew on or devour. Instead, they clacked together to form a strange ghost spirit. The entity was appropriately known as a Skeleton, or 'Mr. Bones'.

This skeletal ghoul did not possess a tail like most of the others, so his health had to be drained by using the suction power near his visible heart, concealed within his sturdy ribcage. His figure was very similar to Dry Bones, except he was a ghost. (Duh.) Not only that, he was unenthused that Colombo was barking at him. It only reminded him of Spooky the Hungry Guard Dog who kept making noise in the first mansion's Boneyard.

"Colombo! Don't even think about eating them!" Luigi quelled him.

The Polterpup stopped yelping in disappointment. He watched his owner stun one portion of the Mini ghosts and suck them up in his vacuum. Daisy took on the remainder even though she nearly got walloped by a rotating fist from one of the Mini Hammers. A few Mini Goobs tried to taunt the princess, but they soon paid for it as they got trapped. Mr. Bones began hurling parts of his somewhat assembled body at the ghost hunters. He, in particular, aimed for the Polterpup as he detested canines, especially ghostly ones since their howls and barks echo loudly.

"Don't worry, boy! I won't let him hurt you!"

Luigi ran in front of his pet and pushed the vacuum's handle to blow air, preventing the bones from flying at him and the others. However, the Skeleton was ruthless as he continuously chucked an endless amount of bones. Colombo ended up catching one with his teeth. He couldn't help but gnaw on it while running for cover. Luigi was more focused on dodging the obstacles that he didn't have time to roll his eyes.

"Uh, Luigi? How are we going to get past this deformed carcass?!" Daisy needed assistance.

"We still have to stun him with the Strobulb. But for some reason, he won't be affected if we shoot at his face. We have to make sure the light sparks the heart inside, or until his body falls apart. Either way, he can keep this ruckus going if we don't get him out of here!"

Colombo finished his treat after swallowing the bone and set off to distract Mr. Bones. With his constant barking, it threw off Mr. Bones's trajectory, hurling the projectiles at awkward angles. The skeleton furiously shook his fist before Luigi aimed the flashlight at him. Mr. Bones tried to withstand the brightness, but it caused his skeletal form to collapse. His visible heart dropped to the floor with the rest of the bones, which made Daisy disgusted. Nevertheless, they both shined their Strobulbs and sucked in air near the heart. Mr. Bones's body returned to normal, but it started clacking and shaking as he tried to escape Luigi and Daisy. With double the Poltergust power, it was useless to break free, and he ended up in the G-00.

"Geez... I don't think I've ever come face to face with a skeleton in battle before. Unless you can count that one kid who ruined my Halloween party last year."

"Are you saying that you fought a kid in a skeleton costume?" Luigi was concerned.

"Hey, it's not my fault that he ruined my floral fairy outfit! I spent weeks perfecting that dress with my precious flowers! He thought it was funny to chuck peanut butter-chocolate candies all over the ballroom! My servants and I had to spend hours cleaning the place, too!"

"Now that you mentioned it, I sort of remember that happening. You still looked beautiful, with or without the chocolate stains."

Daisy's face softened. "Aw, you thought I was beautiful?"

"Every day, every minute I spend with you," he replied candidly.

With her anger washed away, the princess went over to her lover and pressed her lips on his nose. It felt as though the pain from his snake bite subdued very quickly. Colombo joined the affections by jumping his arms and licking his cheek. Laughing it off, the heroes resumed their trek as they climbed the Atrium stairs once again. They shined their Dark-Light Devices at Petunia's stalk, following the trail of Polterkitty's prints. It led them back into the Blooming Suite.

"Alright. That annoying cat won't get away from us. I'll make sure of it," Daisy said with determination.

"Where do these markings lead to?" Luigi whispered as he gleamed the rainbow light over the ivy leaves that grew back on the walls. Since they were literally all over the place, it was hard for him to follow the path. Luckily, Colombo perceived the direction of the ghost cat, leading up to the wardrobe in the corner.

"Ruff!"

"You think she's in there?"

"Arf! Arf!"

"If you're confident, then let's check."

Luigi pulled the doors open and jumped back when Polterkitty meowed at them. She tried to escape them again, but Daisy prevented her from entering the bathroom. The princess let out a flash on the purple animal.

"Ha! Gotcha! Now let's snag this-"

"MRRRRROOOOW!"

"GYAAAAH!" Luigi shrieked. Colombo and Daisy also fell backward. Everyone was stupefied when the innocent feline morphed into some kind of large, undomesticated panther!

Her claws were sharp and extended. Her slender tails became enlarged as her fur rose up. Lastly, her eyes changed into a creepy shade of pink. Polterkitty went on a furious rampage as she tried to reach her paws at the ghost hunters. She broke a stack of flower pots; the pieces flew towards Luigi and Colombo as they tried to crawl away as fast as they could, seeking refuge near the sitting couch. Daisy got up on her feet and hid behind the other side of the bed.

"Luigi! What the flipping crap is that?!"

"I-I-I d-don't know! But whatever it is, she probably wants to kill us!"

"That's no ordinary cat!" Red Toad screamed in the microphone. "How could she look like that from someone who looked so cute and petite?!"

"I don't know, feller," E. Gadd shook in his chair. "But it's a great thing that we're safe from any sort of trouble in my laboratory."

"Thanks for rubbing it in, Professor Bragadocious!" Daisy grumbled. "So, do you think you're going to be kind to this demonic creature?! Is your notion of not being cruel to her still part of the plan?!"

Luigi didn't answer her rhetorical question. As he tried to restrain himself, he couldn't stop hyperventilating. For some reason, he couldn't help but think. Whatever that monster was, she was probably behind his shoulder, waiting to pounce on him at the last second. Quivering at the thought, he was debating whether or not he wanted to peep over the couch. Reluctantly glancing over his left, he was a bit relieved to see his dog, huddled on the cushion. Albeit he was nearby, it was sad for Luigi to see him as frightened as he currently was. The Polterpup whimpered softly.

"Shh, it's okay, Colombo," he caressed his head.

Then, the dog's eyes widened. He wasn't just frozen; he was _petrified_.

"What it is, boy?"

"Grrr..."

Luigi felt a bead of sweat down his forehead, knowing that didn't come from his pet. He slowly rotated his neck upward, furrowing his eyebrows. Seconds later, his fearful, blue eyes met pink. Pink with a nasty glare, peering over the sofa.

"MRRROOOOW!" Polterkitty swiped her claw at Luigi.

"WAAAAAH!" he ran away.

Colombo leaped away in time before she slashed the seat in half. Daisy got up from her hiding spot to rejoin the green plumber. However, she got blocked by Polterkitty, forcing her to run around the room, jumping over the furniture. It came to a point that everyone was trying to flee from the malicious panther-like demon. They hardly had any open opportunities to stun her, if possible. Whenever Luigi attempted to desperately shine the Strobulb at Polterkitty, she shielded her eyelids with her claws. Afterward, she climbed up to the vines and branches above them. Daisy did her turn to stun Polterkitty, but she wasn't having any luck either. The thing is, she was more concerned that Luigi would get hurt again. Somehow, she thought that _this_ was far more dangerous than the entirety of Castle MacFrights.

"Luigi! Daisy! It seems that shining your flashlights are ineffective if you're running amuck! I would consider waiting for the right moment!" E. Gadd recommended.

"Wait for the right moment?! For what?! To get mauled by a freaking, three-tailed tigress?!" Luigi lost his cool. "Gah!"

"Luigi! Hurry and get up!" she pulled him over to her.

"Arf!" Colombo rejoined the humans as they huddled near the broken bed.

"As I said before, I think that cat is sensing how frightened you are," the professor mentioned.

"Thanks for reminding me," grumbled Luigi.

"No, my boy, I'm serious!"

"How so?" Daisy feared for the worst.

"At times, I noticed how she's always trying to sneak an attack by creeping up behind you. Whenever you turn around or run away, she always flees away to keep herself from being vulnerable. That is why I believe you need to wait for the last second when she's about to pounce. Then you shine the Strobulb at her face!"

Luigi hesitated for a second. "I don't like the idea, but if that's the only way to get to her and that button, let's go for it. I'll act as the bait."

"What? No, Luigi, you've been hurt far too many times already," Daisy tried to convince him otherwise.

"I'm willing to take the risk. Besides, if this cat is related to Hellen or King Boo whatsoever, she's going to target me no matter what."

Daisy was uncertain about his plan that she made a counterproposal. "How about this? If you're confident to be the one that she'll lunge for, I'll hide near you. When she tries to attack, I either flash her and hope that she'll be stunned, or I'll push you out of the way so you won't get sliced by her claws."

"That'll do," he responded despite his shoulders shivering for a quick second. Concurrently, he heard Polterkitty let out a deep growl from the tree branches.

Luigi got into position, standing in the center of the bedroom. He kept his face towards Daisy's, staring at his partner with a fearful expression. On the plus side, his teeth weren't chattering. Nonetheless, he was a claw scratch away from wetting his overalls.

_'I trust you_,' he mouthed to her. The princess gave him a nod, indicating she was prepared.

The sound of a loud thump shook Luigi to the core. Squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his fists by his hips, he heard the growls become louder than before. Polterkitty sneered at the lonely plumber. While stealing the elevator button was taken care of, her current goal was to bring Luigi to the greedy hotel owner. If she could do that, the cat figured that she might earn Hellen's love again. Given the circumstances and current relationship, she'd do anything to get some attention.

Colombo softly whined near Daisy's feet. The princess did her best to politely hush him as she kept her eyes glued to her man. Luigi didn't dare to flinch or look behind. His life was in the hands of the Sarasaland ruler. But he believed she could help him, just like she's done on every other floor they've explored together.

Polterkitty had her mark. She settled for a while before standing up on her hind legs and protecting her eyes with her front claws. At that moment, she revealed her face and thrust her claw at his shoulder.

"NO!" Daisy cried as she released the Strobulb's beam. Polterkitty grunted as she became frozen for a few seconds.

Luigi didn't take a second to sigh of relief. He immediately pulled on the handle to suck one of her many tails into the nozzle of the G-00. Daisy swiftly joined him as she grabbed a separate appendage. Polterkitty scowled as she felt like her tails were about to be ripped off. Ironically, that was the case. When Luigi and Daisy each had a full power gauge, the former already regretting his current decision, they repeatedly slammed the panther numerous times until they both detached a tail off her body. Polterkitty realized this as she only had a single tail remaining. Scowling at the ghostbusters, the feline returned to her normal self before escaping through the door towards the Blooming Bathroom.

"Oh no..." Luigi moaned. "We almost had her..."

"You shouldn't be ashamed, sonny! That was a fantastic plan you and Daisy employed on that snarky cougar!" E. Gadd complimented. "If you can do that again with the remaining tail, I have a good feeling that she'll surrender that button to you!"

"I guess we have to keep going to find her again. And thanks for saving me, Daisy."

"It's my pleasure, Weegie. I'm thrilled to still have you in one piece."

"Arf!"

"Alright, lads! I'll leave the rest to you!" E. Gadd signed off.

They brought out their Dark-Light Devices again to uncover the new set of prints that Hellen's cat laid out. Slowly but surely, they backtracked to the higher levels until they reached the Ivy Suite. Luigi spotted the outline of Polterkitty hopping through the wall that led into the bedroom. On the wall north of him, another shape was imprinted. He deduced that the kitty was in the bathroom with the watermelons. However, he failed to recognize the new ghost that was secretly lingering in the grassy field. Colombo barely noticed it from the Dark-Light hitting the doorway. He barked twice to get him to stop, but it was too late.

"EEEK!"

Daisy gasped. "Ew! What is that?!"

An orange ghost with two blue tongues became visible in front of their eyes. He was known as a Trapper – an appropriate title since he caught Luigi in a sticky situation. One of the tongues wrapped around his torso while the other grabbed his left leg, suspending him upside-down. Similar to Petunia's vines, the ghost choked the man, preventing him from intaking oxygen. He was incapable of using the Burst to escape.

"Ruff!" Colombo jumped at the Trapper to pull his owner out of his grasp but to no avail.

As much as Daisy didn't want to come close to the gross apparition, she couldn't let Luigi suffer any longer. She reached out towards one of the tongues and pulled as tight as she could. The Trapper didn't budge from his spot as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Oh no! Luigi's going to suffocate!" Toad squealed.

"Daisy! I think you can daze him temporarily with the light. He's static from where he's sitting!" said E. Gadd.

"Okay, if you think that'll work," Daisy released the tongue and charged her Strobulb.

The Trapper slightly groaned from the flash as his tongues unraveled. Luigi's body tumbled onto the grass. Despite being disoriented, he thanked her and got up on his feet. They each pulled on a tongue until they couldn't move any further. With all of their might, they dragged the Trapper out of his sitting area and slammed him on the ground once. His body got squished before getting hauled into Luigi's Poltergust.

"Are you alright?" Toad wondered.

"I'm gonna have to get used to that question for a while," Luigi rubbed his noggin. "But yeah, I'm fine."

"Fine enough to continue?" Daisy questioned for confirmation.

A firm nod was what she received. "Let's keep going."

"Arf!" Colombo was happy to hear that.

Re-entering the Ivy Bathroom, the protagonists were surprised to see the gigantic watermelon grow back in its previous location. Whatever Dr. Potter used to plant his fruit, it must be effective and probably magical. Nevertheless, that was the least of their worries. Polterkitty's new prints were scattered all over the green rind. They suspected that she was hiding either behind the watermelon or _inside_ it. She was a ghost, so the idea of it wasn't absurd.

Gooigi was expelled from the tank as he and Luigi shot a plunger onto the melon. The two plumbers smushed the fruit over the bathtub, crushing the smaller ones inside. What they didn't expect was Polterkitty hiding in the tub the whole time. Her lonely tail was narrowly sticking out over the edge.

"Ruff!" Colombo demanded the cat to show herself.

"Meow!" Polterkitty growled back at the canine before hiding underneath a broken watermelon rind.

Luigi reached over to pull the cover out of the way, but Polterkitty's sharp claws reached out in defense. He yelped back and avoided the attack.

"Great. If we can't even remove her makeshift shelter, how are we going to get her before she escapes again?" Daisy complained.

Luigi glanced at the faucet for a second. A few drops plopped down, creating a small puddle. From his assumption, the tub's drain was closed. Soon, he looked at his vacuum. A lightbulb lit up in his brain as he aimed the hose at the back of the tub, pushed the handle forward, and blew air to rotate the knobs. The water came gushing out of the faucet, overflowing the ceramic fixture. Polterkitty rose up with the water level, crying out as she despised baths. Her watermelon shield fell out of the tub, too.

"Hey, that totally works!" Daisy smirked as she got her Strobulb ready. "Luigi, get ready!"

With a valiant nod, he stopped the water flow and braced himself. Daisy released the light on the cat, causing Polterkitty to return to her panther-like form. She broke through the tub, spilling the water all over the tiled floor. Softly whimpering, Luigi turned around and closed his eyes. Daisy and Colombo hid behind him, crouching near the toilet.

The cat was lurking in the branches and strolled over to where she was directly above Luigi. She landed a few feet behind the man in green, the guttural sounds putting him on edge. Polterkitty stood up on her hind legs again, ready to pounce. Daisy was set as she got out of her site and stunned the monster. Luigi reacted swiftly as he rushed over to the last tail, sucked on it, and slammed the cat until her final tail was removed.

"MROOOW!"

After losing most of her health, Polterkitty was curled up near the sinks, completely worn out. She started coughing, eventually throwing up the stolen elevator button out of her mouth. Colombo was brisk to take the object away and return to his friends. The panther was both upset and infuriated at Luigi. But with her current state, she couldn't persist the game of cat-and-mouse against him. Reluctantly, she let the heroes go and jumped through the bathroom ceiling.

She was already ruing the day. Hellen was _not_ going to be happy.

"Bark!" Colombo went over to Luigi, wagging his tail. As the plumber leaned down, he dropped the '**8**' button into the palm of his hand. His reward was another loving scratch on the head.

"Okay, so that wasn't the way I wanted to get the button back," Luigi admitted with embarrassment.

"If I'm going to be honest, I would feel the same way," Daisy told him. "It's not right to be cruel to pets or animals in general. Including ghost animals. That cat needed to be taught a lesson, even if we had to use extreme measures."

"But on the bright side, you got the elevator button again!" E. Gadd commended. "Now should be the time to advance to the eighth floor!"

"That's right! That way, we can finally get out of this plant-infested nightmare."

"About time, too."

Since they weren't too high in the Garden Suites, Luigi and the gang used the stairs and branches to make their way down. After another long walk to the elevator, the '**8**' button was re-inserted into the panel. The plumber smiled as it didn't get taken out. With the new level detected by the elevator tracker, he pressed the button to ascend to their next destination: Paranormal Productions.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

"Meow..."

Polterkitty didn't meow out of vexation this time. She was miserable. Now that she was back to the purple feline that she was, she expected another outburst or annoying lecture from her master. Hellen had been corrupt for quite a while, leading her to throw tantrums and ruin her possessions. She couldn't imagine what she was going to destroy this time.

Then again, Polterkitty still couldn't believe how ignorant her owner was. King Boo made a point earlier when she was the only one relaxing in the Main Observation Room. Why couldn't Hellen Gravely capture Luigi by herself? Why did she need to rely on other ghosts to do the job for her?

It only took a minute for the cat to realize the answer.

She was spoiled. Idle. Egocentric. She wanted to earn the credit of gratifying King Boo's orders and gain his respect. But she didn't want to do the work alone. Granted, Hellen was nowhere close to achieving that goal. That's some kind of karma on her part. Still, the least Polterkitty wanted was to go back to the way things were before she released the Boo ruler from the professor's canister. She wanted to be loved again.

Polterkitty made her way into the vault, passing through the King Boo-shaped door. She instantly grimaced. Her owner was facing the televisions, one of which had a security camera replaying recent footage caught in the Ivy Bathroom. The screen next to it was zoomed in on Luigi, journeying up to the subsequent floor. Feeling sick to her stomach, she tiptoed over to her cat bed. Unfortunately, Hellen rotated her chair around to face her feline companion.

"You've failed me, didn't you?" she spoke in an abstruse tone.

If Polterkitty had to guess, her owner was probably 50% disappointed and 50% irate. Or just 100% of the latter.

"You don't deserve to get any rest," Hellen's voice remained low. "Since he's clearly on his way to the movie studio, you're going to get a second chance to prevent that worrisome plumber from advancing. I cannot afford him to reach the top of my hotel. Because sooner or later, he's going to release _him_," she pointed in the corner of the vault, right at the Mario painting.

"Meow..." the cat stared at the painting, then down at the floor – feeling somewhat ashamed. The other part of her was irritated by her speech.

"I may be cranky at this point, but just know that you're still my little darling. Either way, I want you to go back and hunt down Luigi until he cries 'Uncle'. Then, we'll enjoy a glamourous life with our beloved King Boo. Now run along," she shooed her.

Although she was lucky that she didn't face her ultimate evil form, Polterkitty couldn't believe what she heard.

_Our_ beloved? No. No way.

Polterkitty may respect King Boo as a leader, but she didn't fervently worship him. Every time his name was mentioned, the cat's jealousy grew three sizes, similar to Hellen's love for him.

And that made her sicker.

After all this time, Polterkitty had been devoted to staying with Hellen ever since she was adopted. Now, she was contemplating whether that was the best day of her life or the worst.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Polterkitty has failed Hellen to steal that elevator button from Luigi. However, this won't be the last time we'll see the adorable cat... or vicious panther. Or puma? Cougar? Ugh, just refer to her with whatever you want._

_Unless I'm wrong, the only minor ghost who had some dialogue in any of the previous Luigi's Mansion installments was Mr. Bones. However, at this point, I've stuck with the norm to keep generic ghosts as simple as they are and only provide dialogue for the Boos and Portrait/Boss Ghosts. It's just easier that way so I won't clutter so many random names or a ton of speech if they hold less significance than the others._

_Next time, Luigi will finally be on his way to 8F – Paranormal Productions, a floor that a lot of people are probably anticipating. Until then, thanks for reading, and I'll see you all in the next chapter of Hotel Horror. This is TGN, signing off._


	19. Ch 18: Lights! Camera! Megaphone?

_A/N:__ We've finally made it to the eighth floor of The Last Resort. In a way, this is practically the halfway point of both the hotel and the story. Who will Luigi encounter this time? (Don't answer that question. At least a majority of you know the answer.) If you've made it this far without reaching 8F in the game, I'd suggest exiting this chapter right now so you won't get spoiled!_

_Another special thanks goes out to everyone who has been reading since the beginning. Hotel Horror has garnered over **35,000 views**! Bless all of you! Now, onward to the big show!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ To reiterate, you should leave this page if you don't know anything about this floor and prefer to play through the level itself in the game. Otherwise, read at your own risk. Nintendo owns the property of Luigi's Mansion._

* * *

**Chapter 18:** Lights! Camera! Megaphone?

_Location: 8F – Paranormal Productions_

Although he had a sliver of anticipation, Luigi was nervous every time he approached a brand-new level of the haunted hotel. In retrospect, the previous two floors were stressful for him.

Castle MacFrights was the definition of constant anxiety, what with the axes, spikes, and weapons that he faced. He even participated in a joust against the king of the floor. Then, there was the Garden Suites. The place wasn't very aesthetic or inviting after all of the lethal plants they've encountered. Not to mention, the entire chase scene with Polterkitty was both frustrating and terrifying. Luigi honestly wished he could visit a less gruesome floor like the Grand Lobby. At least there weren't any major Portrait or Boss Ghosts that wanted to kill him there.

By then, the elevator bell rang as it stopped at the new location. With both hands gripping the flashlight in front of his torso, Luigi was expecting another nightmarish floor to excavate. To his surprise, he was met with a couple of moving spotlights shining at his face. He had to cover his eyes so he wouldn't be blinded by them. Aside from those objects, Luigi and his friends were introduced to an astonishing red carpet, a mountain and forest display with a suspended helicopter model to their right, a pair of loudspeakers, and a glass cube built over a raised platform to their left. Within the confined space were a television, a live camera, and a sparkling key placed inside a container display which was mounted on the wall.

Frankly, the plumber thought this floor was alluring from the get-go. Nonetheless, he had to be cautious in case any new ghosts popped out to mess with him.

"Interesting. This place is like a movie studio!" Daisy was fascinated by the displays. "This is automatically better than the Garden Suites!"

"Ruff!" Colombo went over to admire the mountain set. He was able to dig up some hidden coins in the grass.

Luigi was more entranced by the golden key. The glass cube had a door, but there wasn't a handle to grab. Not only that, pushing it was completely ineffective. Apparently, it can only be opened from the inside.

"How are we going to retrieve that?"

"Can't we just destroy the glass chamber with something, like with a prop?" Daisy wondered.

"I don't think breaking this would be a good idea. Not unless you want shards flying all over the place. And what if this is unbreakable glass?" he knocked on the front wall.

"Yeah, I guess that's true. Wait a minute. Colombo! You can teleport through walls! Can you fetch that key for us?"

The Polterpup woofed and hopped inside the see-through vault. As he tried to obtain the key, somehow his paws couldn't go through the case. He soon inspected the handle. He tried grabbing it with his mouth, hoping that he could open it that way. Unfortunately, his grip slipped, causing him to fall out of the cube entirely.

"Colombo! Are you alright?" Luigi kneeled.

He shook his head rapidly before regaining his surroundings. The dog gave them an apologetic frown before looking away in embarrassment.

"Aw, you didn't do anything wrong, boy. You tried at least."

That made him feel slightly better as he licked his owner's face.

"So, if Colombo can't get the key, what do we do now?" Daisy was perplexed.

"Hmm, that's a good question."

Then, Luigi noticed a long wire connecting from the back of the television which ran through a small hole of the glass compartment. It extended all the way to the passage adjacent to the Elevator Hall.

"Daisy, Colombo, let's head this way. I want to see where this wire leads to."

They agreed to follow him as they entered a very dim corridor. They reached the Entrance Hall of the floor, astonished by the framed movie posters plastered on the walls beside them. The first one they perceived was a soccer player jumping in the air with thunderbolts crackling near the ball as if he was going to kick a special shot to the goal. The next poster was very familiar yet frightening to Luigi. It didn't take rocket science to discern that it was a poster depicting King Boo while encountering a green-clad man with a vacuum on his back.

"Geez, did Hellen make this? Isn't this what you had to deal with in Evershade Valley?" Daisy questioned.

"As a matter of fact," E. Gadd jumped in on the VB, "that is remarkably similar to the Dark Moon quest! Ah, I remember those good times."

"Professor, you're not making this any better on my part," Luigi grumbled.

"Ooh, my apologies. Continue on!"

The heroes passed a few more posters until they reached the Studio Entrance. Adorned with gold, extravagant movie decorations, the red carpet led to a pair of purple doors with a unique pattern resembling a film strip. Daisy was about to open the entrance until she realized that it was completely locked. She assumed the key they spotted near the elevator was the answer to access the next part of the studio.

As for Luigi, he continued to follow the wire into the top-left corner. Another television was placed on the corner of a purple carpet marked with an '8'. The TV had a blinking green light at the bottom, so he flashed the Strobulb to activate it. The screen flickered as an electrical spark flowed from the back of the television and sped through the wire.

"Wowie..." Luigi was amazed by the display. He leaned forward towards the screen, exhibiting a live footage shot of a helicopter flying over a mountain range. It looked like the set they just walked past at the very beginning.

"Luigi? What are you doing?" Daisy raised an eyebrow. Colombo also frowned as he got closer.

Under normal circumstances, it was unwise to gaze at a television up close. But the television piqued his curiosity and pulled him forward like a magnet. By then, green sparks barely formed in between his nose and the screen, slightly shocking him in the process.

"D'oh! Yow!" he recoiled, flicking his nose.

"Luigi! What were you thinking?!" Daisy reprimanded.

"S-Sorry... But I was entranced by the television."

"I don't mean to be rude to the little kid inside you, but you shouldn't be doing that unless you want to burn your eyes out! Besides, that looks like a boring nature documentary."

Before Luigi could apologize again, the Virtual Boo rang as E. Gadd chose to talk to him through the red display.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I was going to say, that television looked like it was about to suck you up like a portal! In fact, it reminds me of my channel of E-Gates that I installed in a few of the mansions in Evershade."

"E-Gates? I'm not familiar with those," said Daisy.

"Ah, then allow me to enlighten you! The E-Gates are electronic portals that I've invented for anyone to teleport from one area to another, depending on where the corresponding gate is located. The ability to transport is convenient to reach places that you can't access by any other means."

"Yeah, I remember those. Wait, are you saying that this television can act as a portal?" Luigi fathomed.

"Why, I believe so! Do you remember that camera rolling footage near the other television in the Elevator Hall? It was directly filming at a vantage point with the mountains and helicopter in sight. I believe that the camera is linked to the TV within the glass vault. If my assumptions are correct, this television will transport you to the other! That way, you can reach the inside and take the key! A Suction Shot should be sufficient since the container has a smooth surface for the plunger to pull apart."

"Hmm... That doesn't sound like a far-fetched idea," Luigi contemplated.

"It does to me," doubted Daisy.

"There's only one way to find out," he shrugged as he put away the VB goggles.

He carefully extended his left arm towards the television. To Daisy and Colombo's surprise, his fingers penetrated through the screen, causing the display to shine brightly. Before they knew it, he climbed into the television until his body was swallowed whole. A green spark lit up and traveled through the wire. Somehow, Daisy and Colombo could faintly hear Luigi's screams from the trail.

"Whoa! Hurry, let's follow him!"

"Ruff!"

Like a speeding bullet train rushing through a long, dark tunnel, Luigi made his way to the other television beside the elevator. He rolled out awkwardly, face first, onto the raised platform. Daisy and Colombo returned to the hall to find him locked inside the transparent vault.

"Whew... It's not my most preferred way to travel, but it's probably better than the Pixelator," Luigi rubbed his arm.

"Are you able to get the key?"

"I got to get it out first," he told her as he fired a plunger on the case. The door opened up from the pull, allowing the key to drop near his feet. Smiling, he picked it up and exited the glass chamber.

"Great! Now we can finally progress!"

The three retraced their steps to the purple doors, and Luigi inserted the gold key to unlock them. At one point, Luigi thought he barely heard a ghost talk on the other side. It was difficult to discern what was going on beyond the Studio Entrance, but he had an inkling that a Boss Ghost was close by.

Entering the Backstage, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo didn't anticipate what was in front of them. Sitting in a director's chair was a blue-skinned ghost wearing a dark blue sweater and hat. He was, all of things, _bawling_. It genuinely confused the heroes because every other major spirit they've encountered was either cheeky, rude, or threatening to put up a battle.

But this? This was somewhat bewildering.

Not only that, but there was another ghost floating near the crying spirit. This ghost, also blue, was draped in a red robe, a gold necklace, and a veil concealing her mouth. She was busy consoling the male ghost, placing her hands on his trembling shoulders.

"Morty, please," the woman shook her head. "You need to calm down. Just because you lost something doesn't mean it's the end of the world."

"Oh, but you don't understand, Madame Clairvoya!" the male whined dramatically. Meanwhile, Luigi's eyes bulged when he heard that name. "It's an absolute tragedy! It _is_ the end of the world for me! For someone who has a passion for filming, directing, and editing films, I am destined for failure if I can't manage my equipment properly! I mean, how could I lose my precious red megaphone that I've used and adored since my childhood?! I was inspired by many directors that I wanted to become one myself! And that megaphone that I've cherished is out of my possession! I can't fulfill my job without it! Because of that, I'm nothing but a puny, worthless movie director..." he moped, covering his face with his hand.

Luigi heard everything that Morty said from where he stood. A part of him was scared by default since he was a ghost. However, his depressive state of mind made him feel sorry for him. Luigi faced many instances in his life where he felt miserable and useless in various ways that he could relate to the director. Personally, he hated it whenever someone was truly upset to the point where they broke down in tears.

"Morty, please listen to yourself! Don't you have any dignity?" Clairvoya remarked.

"How could I when I lost my megaphone?!" he reiterated. "Think about this. What's an artist without a brush? Or a chef without a knife? Even a dog without a bag of trash?! The answer is nothing! And _nothing_ is what I am! No.. I'm less than nothing! My future is doomed to be bleak for the rest of eternity! Not even the sparkle from this beautiful button can light up my day when it's falling apart..."

The princess's eyes widened as large as dinner plates. "Luigi, there's the next button! Let's snag it!" she hurried over, tiptoeing in her sneakers.

"Daisy, wait!" Luigi whispered as he trailed behind. Colombo quietly ran next to him.

"I would give anything to be able to hold my dear, sweet megaphone again..." Morty wept.

"Oh, woe is me," Clairvoya felt hopeless yet sympathetic. Turning her head slightly, she caught the princess running over to them, attempting to swipe the button out of Morty's hand. "Excuse me!"

Daisy stopped in her tracks. Luigi and Colombo became frozen as well.

"Hmm?" Morty wiped away his ghost tears. "W-Who are you?"

"Ahem," Luigi decided to man up and speak. He didn't want to stammer like he did with every other apparition. "Um, hello. I'm Luigi. And this is Daisy and Colombo. We're here to collect the elevator buttons to explore The Last Resort and find our friends."

"My goodness," Madame Clairvoya gasped, rubbing her eyelids. "Could that be?"

Morty raised an eyebrow at the fortune-teller. "Could _who_ be?"

"Luigi... Is that really you?"

"Yeah, it's-a-me, Luigi," he nodded. "I remember you helped me in the spooky mansion where King Boo first kidnapped Mario. In fact, you were one of the few ghosts who weren't belligerent to me. I... never really got to thank you for your help."

"Well, I'm glad I could be of assistance at that time! But my stars, it feels like it's been a decade since I've seen your face. It doesn't look like you've aged at all! You're still the same, young, green plumber that I know!" Her comment made Luigi blush.

"So, you two have some history?" Morty queried.

"Indeed. To give you a backstory, he is the younger brother of the famous hero, Mario! But Luigi, himself, is also considered a hero – far more than just a simple sidekick. Though he doesn't possess the same amount of courage and strength as his sibling, his loving heart and altruistic personality shape him to be virtuous. He would help anyone in need of trouble."

"Hmm... That is interesting. But I'm afraid I've never heard of you or this Mario fellow at all."

"Seriously?" Daisy interjected. "Where have you been living this entire time? Under a rock?"

"Actually, I've resorted to this wondrous floor of the hotel. Hellen Gravely hired me to maintain this floor and allowed me to direct my projects! She also handed me this button to guard from some person named Lui-" Morty suddenly paused. "Wait a second. _You_ are the one that Hellen is antagonizing?"

Luigi gulped, scared to respond truthfully. "U-Uh... Yes..."

"Hmm... I don't see why she thinks of you as a menace," Morty tilted his head.

"In case you're unaware, he has a vacuum on his back that can suck up ghosts. I have one, too, and I'm not afraid to use it!" Daisy threatened.

"D-Daisy!"

"What?"

"Don't suck them up immediately!"

"Okay, number one, it's not like I was going to do that. And number two, _why not_? This would be an easy way to get that button from these freaks!"

"Excuse me?" Clairvoya narrowed her eyes at the princess.

"Daisy, don't. I trust Madame Clairvoya since she was anything but a liability to me. And if Morty also isn't evil, we should let him be."

"But what if he turns his back against us? What if he decides to deceive you like Hellen and King Boo have done to you? The same thing goes for that belly dancer."

"I'm a _fortune-teller_, mind you," Clairvoya hissed.

"Whoa, excuse me. Sorry to get professions mixed up," Daisy raised her hands in defense, sarcastically.

"Daisy, please." Luigi turned back to the ghosts. "Listen, I couldn't help but hear your conversation earlier. You said you were missing a megaphone or something?"

Morty was brought back to reality. "Oh... Oh, the horror! My precious megaphone!" he sobbed into his hands again. Madame Clairvoya sighed as she tried to soothe him.

"I-I'm sorry to make you upset," Luigi felt guilty.

"It's not your fault, darling. Morty can be... overdramatic, for lack of a better term," Clairvoya whispered that last part to him.

"Um, is there anything I can do to help?"

"Luigi, what are you insinuating?" Daisy was perplexed. Even Colombo didn't know where he was going.

"Well, you know how you scavenged through the first mansion to find your brother's lost items? Could you possibly go around the movie studio and search for his megaphone? Somehow, the spirits are telling me that it's somewhere on this floor. But I can't exactly tell without my crystal ball."

"So, why can't you help us?" Daisy looked unimpressed.

"I would love to seek the location, but I'm too busy keeping Morty's tears at bay. This poor gentleman lacks confidence and passion whenever he loses his most prized possessions. In this case, it's his megaphone, obviously. But I believe he'll cheer up if you can find it for him."

"Then I'll help."

"Luigi, you can't be serious. I didn't get drenched in pineapple juice just to fight a Venus flytrap, tear off a demon cat's tails, or look for a dumb megaphone. Which, by the way, I wish I had brought my luggage so I could change again!"

"It's not dumb!" Morty cried out. "It's my most favorite thing to use of all time!"

"Believe me or not, Daisy, but I am serious," he gave her a grim look before shifting over to Clairvoya. "I'll go around the set and find that megaphone."

"Oh, bless your kind soul, Luigi. I'll try my best to keep him steady. Although, I don't know how long I'll handle his sobs before I start to go crazy."

"You can count on me," he promised. "Come on, guys. We've got a megaphone to find."

"I can't believe you're doing this," Daisy shook her head.

"Neither am I," he said as he walked away from the ghosts to give them some privacy. "But the second we walked into the Backstage, there was something about Morty that made me feel... I don't know, sad for him? And the fact that Madame Clairvoya was there sort of eased the tension in the room. They may be ghosts, but they seem congenial to me. I know for a fact that Madame is kind. If it wasn't for her, I probably would've lost Mario years ago."

Daisy slowly fathomed his point. While she was still uneasy around ghosts after the whole scheme plotted by Hellen, she figured that she should give them the benefit of the doubt. On the plus side, they weren't going head-to-head against another hotheaded spirit like Chef Soulfflé, King MacFrights, or Dr. Potter. Maybe Morty was more on the innocent side like Officer Kruller. The only difference was that Gooigi caught the rotund ghost cop. As for the idea of capturing Morty, that was off the table... for now.

Luigi took a moment to gaze at the map. There were four separate studios, to the west and east of the Backstage. Each set was marked with a number on the doors, ranging from '1' to '4'. He led the group to Studio 1 in the bottom right. It was reasonable enough to go in chronological order. But if Luigi read the name of the studio, he could've skipped it if he wanted to.

The heroes reached what was known as the Horror Set. As they rounded the corner, they discovered a large display for a movie scene to be recorded. The set featured an infertile hump with several naked trees, leaf piles, a well, and a rubber duck sitting on the edge. With a blue-screen background, multiple lights, a smoke machine, and a camera, the place looked like it was ready to film a scene. At the moment, the set didn't really live up to its name. Luigi couldn't tell why it was called the Horror Set, but he pushed that notion aside.

There was also a television to the right with a running wire and some purple tape. Luigi suspected that this also acted as a portal. He flashed the blinking light to activate it. The camera shot of the well was in full view on the monitor. Afterward, he looked around the set for Morty's megaphone.

"Hmm, I don't see it here. Do you, Daisy?"

"No luck," she checked behind the trees. She started vacuuming the leaf piles. There was nothing but dollar bills and gold coins. "Colombo, did you find it?"

The Polterpup, who was searching inside the well, popped his head out and whimpered. He got wet from the water down below, so he jumped out and shook his body to dry off.

"I don't think it's worth searching here any longer if we can't find it. Let's check another studio," suggested Daisy.

"Hold on. This camera seems to be rolling," Luigi inspected.

"So? It's not like it's filming a scene or anything," she came up to him.

Luigi disregarded her as he peeked through the lens. Surprisingly, he was met with a spooky landscape in the background. The setting was a dark night with an old manor at the top of a hill and a rickety iron fence behind the trees. The only source of light was a full moon peeking behind the clouds. Individual leaves sluggishly flew to the east. From the scenery, Luigi started to see why this was called the Horror Set. Yet the only thing missing was something that would make him jump away from the camera.

"Luigi," E. Gadd interrupted, "this might be an odd suggestion, but if you and Daisy are going to be behind the camera, maybe you can shoot a movie scene to take place. What if you cast Gooigi as your photogenic subject when you peek into the lens?"

The plumber leaned back from the camera as he thought about it. "I mean, we could do that. But now that I know the theme of this set, I'm scared that I'm going to get another jump scare."

"Technically, you're not going to see it through the camera. You're just gonna see it when you control Gooigi," clarified Daisy.

"As if that makes a difference," Luigi rolled his eyes. "Ugh, whatever. Let's give it a shot."

Gooigi slipped out of the Poltergust and got into the frame of the camera. His body was also projected on the television hooked up to it. Since Luigi's body was dozing, he asked Daisy to be the cinematographer. She peered into the camera while Colombo sat behind the scenes, gazing at the screen. The background reappeared as Gooigi walked around the set. Eventually, he got to the well, accidentally knocking the rubber duck. While it seemed like nothing was going on, there was an eerie vibe in the environment. Soon, the camera automatically zoomed in towards the well. Daisy was speechless since she wasn't controlling it. Seconds later, it got up close to Gooigi before a loud screech roared throughout the stage. Daisy and Gooigi flinched when a long-haired puppet with sunglasses rose up with her hands stretched out.

**"YAAAAH!"**

"Holy crap!" Daisy's heart pumped faster than ever. When she stood back from the camera, the Horror Set reverted to its normal appearance without the creepy backdrop. She didn't understand how that worked out, but thinking about it made her head hurt. Colombo did his best not to express fear, but he shivered ever so slightly from the spooky panorama.

**"Can we get out of here now and go find that megaphone?"** Gooigi begged.

"Yeah, I second that vote," Daisy headed for the door.

**"Wait, Daisy. I think we can use the television to transport."**

"Do we really have to go back using the TV? I don't think I want to know what it's like to travel through an electrical cord."

**"To me, it's actually not as harmful than I expected. It's just that I landed poorly from the first one. Plus, I wanted to see if this leads us back to Morty and Madame Clairvoya."**

"You can do whatever you want, but I'm gonna go back the normal way."

Gooigi didn't bother to argue and just let her leave. He teleported into the G-00, giving Luigi consciousness. The plumber watched Colombo hop through the television first. He quickly followed him until he landed in front of the farthest television to the right of Morty's chair. Daisy returned to the Backstage a few seconds later.

"Did you really get here _that_ fast?"

"Pretty much," he shrugged.

Daisy didn't question it any further as the group continued to search. They were about to enter Studio 2 until Luigi got close to a large yeti statue. Suddenly, its arms reached out and grasped the man in green.

"Luigi!"

"Gah! Get off of me!"

Unlike Petunia or the Trapper they faced in the Garden Suites, the yeti's grip wasn't as firm. He was barely able to escape with a Burst move. As a result, the head became separated from its body. Within the statue was the culprit.

"Bark!"

"Mamma Mia," Luigi removed his hat and wiped his forehead. "Colombo, I swear to Grambi, I'm going to die of a heart attack before I can rescue the others. And how did you hide in there so quickly?!"

The Polterpup simply barked in amusement before jumping through the wall to the second studio. Sighing, Luigi followed his pet with Daisy right behind him. The workspace featured a broken tower built next to a tall, stone partition. Standing in front of the tower was a large wheelbarrow. To the left were some stones, wooden planks, and barrels scattered across the floor.

Other than that, the megaphone was nowhere to be found. It wasn't even hiding in the tower.

With little to no options, Luigi decided to bring out his doppelganger. Daisy stayed behind the scenes as the fully green plumber became part of the medieval film. As the movie panned out, a giant rock was launched over the northern wall of the castle. It crushed the rusty wheelbarrow into pieces. The force caused the torch on the tower to topple, setting a tapestry on fire. At the base, a green sprout appeared in a patch of dirt.

"Cut!" Daisy shouted. The set was back to the way it was, similar to the Horror Set.

Gooigi vibrated but not because of a Boo. **"Daisy, don't scream like that! I can't stop shaking!"**

"What? I've always wanted to yell that. But did you notice that budding stem? I wonder why it's just planted there."

**"If it gets watered, it better not turn into another voracious Venus flytrap."**

"Let's keep searching. I think we're done with this set."

Gooigi nodded and went into the tank. This time, Daisy fell into peer pressure and entered the TV after Luigi and Colombo. In a matter of seconds, they were in the Backstage.

"Huh, that was pretty quick."

"I told you so."

Meanwhile, Morty was still weeping while Clairvoya was distressed.

"Any luck finding it?" the fortune-teller inquired.

Luigi shook his head. "Sorry, not yet."

"Oh! This is a disaster!" Morty complained even more. "I should just give up right now and leave. That way, I won't be fired by Hellen."

"Just give us some more time! We haven't explored the other studios yet," told Daisy.

"Okay, but please hurry!" Clairvoya pleaded.

Opening the door to Studio 3, Luigi and his friends were amazed by the town layout acting as the background. However, the man was somewhat confused why it was called the Fire Set, according to the map on the Virtual Boo. Once again, the group tested out the camera to play the movie scene.

With Gooigi on the set, Daisy called for action. Moments later, she and Colombo were shocked to see the city in flames. The camera panned up as a siren blared across a bridge and above the buildings. As a door burned down, the actors got onto the scene. A Hammer came rushing over with siren lights flashing on his head. His grunting made him sound like a truck prepared to immediately stop and allow the firefighters to do their work. The firefighters happened to be a trio of ghosts, consisting of Blue Blazes. Their appearances resemble the large Blue Twirlers, except their hearts were protected with water. Ironically, they were using their elemental hearts and fire extinguishers to douse the flames.

Gooigi couldn't tell if it was necessary to fight them since they were busy with their jobs. Then again, this was a movie scene. With Daisy stepping away from the camera, the town looked as if there wasn't a fire to begin with.

"Man, what an act! Even if they're ghosts, I gotta respect the fact that they acted as firefighters. Even the Hammer was playing the role of a fire truck!"

**"That's true, but there's still no sign of the megaphone,"** Gooigi moped.

"It looks like there's only one more studio to explore," E. Gadd mentioned. "If it's not in there, then I'm at a loss."

"Might as well head there now," uttered Daisy.

Exiting through the activated screen, the heroes went over to the final room. Studio 4 was labeled as the Micro Set. Luigi and Daisy trudged down the hallway and past the divider to reach the hub. The Polterpup was already ahead of the humans.

"Ruff!" He started jumping for joy when he spotted something. On the set was a large cardboard box with the top half of the flap entirely open. Inside, there was a large, red megaphone, tangled in some spiderwebs.

"Hey, that must be Morty's megaphone!" exclaimed Daisy.

"Yeah, but those webs that are holding it up look really strong. We might have to burn those like the one in Castle MacFrights," Luigi reckoned.

"How are we going to reach it?"

"Another good question." Luigi noticed a target symbol on the bottom flap of the box. He used a Suction Shot and tried pulling on the plunger. But it didn't budge due to the staples.

"Is there a difference if we enact the movie?"

"Only one way to find out," Luigi said as he controlled Gooigi.

Before Daisy looked into the camera, the gooey clone squished through the opening of a glass bottle to retrieve a gem. It was green and shaped like a film tape. As for the set, the scene took place in a dark shed with the sun shining through the window and onto the table as a backlight. The long shot made Gooigi look very miniature in the movie, like an ant scuttling around for food crumbs.

Meanwhile, some of the staples fell off when something hit the flap from inside the box. Gooigi echoed a gulp as he was afraid of another jump scare. The woman in the well was already terrifying.

With another Suction Shot, Gooigi cautiously pulled the plunger's rope. The camera instantly went into a close-up view of Gooigi and the box. Once the flap fell to the table, a humongous spider crawled out in front of him.

**"WAAAAH!"** Gooigi ran back as far as he could without falling off the table.

"Ugh, I _hate_ spiders!" Daisy shuddered as the box returned to normal.

The plumber regained his bearings and quivered in fear. He took a moment to sit down on the floor.

"Luigi?" Daisy furrowed her eyebrows.

He cuddled his arms around his knees and shook vehemently. "It's just a fake spider. It's just a fake spider," he repeated softly. "It's not real..."

"Luigi, it's fine. You're going to be okay," she tried to mollify him.

Colombo took a seat next to his human, nudging his head against his overalls. Here, he thought scaring him with the yeti was worse. To his defense, he now felt guilty for his prank. Thankfully, Luigi was not mad at him. The mustached man appreciated him and Daisy for appeasing his anxiety.

"Sorry for my breakdown. That huge spider only reminded of the time a Possessor Ghost took control of a spider queen in the Gloomy Manor."

"Ah, yes. I do recall you facing that. Honestly, I wouldn't be brave or tough enough to take down the Grouchy Possessor or the spider," mumbled E. Gadd.

"Do you need more time to recover?"

"I'm fine now, thanks for asking," he was pulled up by the princess.

"Alright, so now that we found the megaphone, and we know how to reach it, all that's left is to get rid of the cobwebs."

"But... if the studio reset, that spider is probably going to crawl out again. Ew..."

"Let's not think about it right now. Where are we going to get fire?"

"Um, that fire in Studio 3 should burn it," deduced Luigi. "But how are we going to bring it over from one set to the other? We can't just use our hands, for obvious reasons, and I don't have Fire Flowers in my pockets."

Daisy snapped her fingers. "Hey, remember how I used that torch to carry the fire near the dragon's mouth in Castle MacFrights? If we can find a torch, Gooigi can do the same thing!"

"That's brilliant, Princess!" applauded E. Gadd. "You'll just have to make sure Gooigi isn't too close, or he'll melt! Hohoho!"

"Alright, so we need a torch. But I can't recall seeing one in the other rooms."

"I could've sworn there was a torch in the Castle Set when I saw it on the TV. I think it was on top of the broken tower," Toad briefly mentioned.

"Hmm, I must have missed it then. Let's return to Studio 2."

"Hold on, Luigi," Daisy paused. "Why return there when we could think ahead? You remember the plant that stood in front of the tower? That should help us reach the top. I think we can water it so it'll turn into some kind of ladder, just like how you got the button from that crabby botanist."

"Yeah, that makes sense. So before we could grab the torch, we need some water, huh?" Luigi scratched his chin.

"Arf!"

"What is it, boy?"

The Polterpup remembered how he got wet from the well in Studio 1. He reminded them when he made a motion where he shook the droplets off his body.

"Oh, yeah... There was water in the well! If we can get some of that to pour onto the plant, it should grow tall enough to reach the torch! If only we had a watering can. I don't want to go all the way back to grab Dr. Potter's."

"Same here," Daisy agreed.

"Who says you need a can to water some plants? You can also use buckets to carry water, just like how you transferred water in the Evershade mansions," E. Gadd recounted.

Luigi nearly facepalmed himself. "I almost forgot about that! You're right, Professor!"

"Hohoho! My intelligence never fails to amuse me!"

"Speaking of buckets, I believe I saw one in the Backstage near Morty and Madame Clairvoya. We can use that to hold the water! Then we'll go from set to set to bring the necessary items using the televisions! We'll get the megaphone in no time!"

"Or we could just enter the studios the normal way by using the doors," Daisy pointed out.

"True, but I think it's much faster if we use the TVs."

Daisy smirked at him. "Look at you, making decisions that I don't expect whatsoever. Here I thought you hated traveling through the televisions."

Luigi couldn't help but laugh. "As I said before, it's not as harmful as it sounds. At least it's not the Pixelator."

Before he and the others went into the television, E. Gadd realized what the green man said. "Wait, is my Pixelator a joke to you?"

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Now that Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo have a plan to get Morty's megaphone, they'll put into effect in Part 2 of Paranormal Productions. In fact, this puzzle reminded me of Mission E-2: Double Trouble of the Treacherous Mansion in Dark Moon. In that task, Luigi had to go from room to room while carrying various objects in order to rescue E. Gadd's Toad assistants and reach the mansion's Inner Courtyard to teleport them safely._

_What will happen next when Morty gets his megaphone back? Will Luigi have the gall to go against his word and suck up both the director and Madame Clairvoya? And is there something else lurking in the movie studio that'll impede our heroes? As always, thank you all for reading! Be sure to let me know how this one went! Also, since most of you love this level, myself included, tell me why in the review box down below! Until then, I'll see you in Ch. 19 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	20. Ch 19: Luigi's the Movie Star!

_A/N:__ I had so much fun writing the last chapter that I wanted to get started on Part 2 of Paranormal Productions as soon as possible. Thus, here we are! (My apologies to New Brotherhood for not being updated in three months again...)_

_Anyway, thank you all for the support and reviews as always! It's time to get the cameras rolling!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Don't be a jerk like me and suck up Morty before he could get a chance to edit his movie. In fact, don't capture him at all. Seriously, don't do it. I still feel guilty to this day._

* * *

**Chapter 19:** Luigi's the Movie Star!

"I can just picture it now. Hundreds and thousands of people surrounding me as the announcer is reading out the nominees. By the time he finishes, he opens the envelope and declares the director whose name is written on the card. It's a name that's fitting enough to earn such an award. And that happens to be me! My name, Morty Spiritberg, is exposed to the entire public and possibly on worldwide television. All of them now know who I am... and that's the winner for 'Most Despicable Director'!" Morty cried out loud.

Madame Clairvoya, who floated beside him while hearing his ridiculous scenario, couldn't muster up an appropriate response that would prevent him from crying even more. All she could do was linger.

"It's like everyone is spitting raspberries at me! Everyone's shunning me at my incompetence! It's all because I can't handle my equipment, let alone shoot a student film! And that probably would be terrible, too!"

"Luigi, you better find that megaphone soon," Clairvoya mumbled to herself. Seconds later, she saw the plumber return to the Backstage after teleporting through the farthest screen on the left. Daisy and Colombo landed behind him. "Please tell you've made some progress."

"Actually, we found it."

Morty immediately wiped his tears and blinked at the green ghost hunter. "W-What's that? You said... you found my megaphone?!"

"Yeah, but it's tangled in some spider webs. We need to get it down with some fire."

"Fire? But that might burn my beloved tool!" Morty cringed.

"Don't worry, Mr. Director," Daisy reassured. "We'll be careful not to destroy or taint its appearance. We just need to do a few chores before we could get it down."

"At least that's positive news to hear," Clairvoya sighed happily. "You don't mind if we remain here, do you?"

"Of course not," answered Luigi. "We'll take care of it."

"You haven't changed one bit, Luigi. I'm sure your brother is proud of you."

While he appreciated her words, the last statement made him frown, his head shifting towards the floor. "Yeah, about that..."

"What's wrong?" A few seconds elapsed until she realized. "Oh, dear. You don't mean..."

A silent nod was what she received from the man. "It happened not just once, not twice, but a _third time_. It's all because of King Boo. And that's why we need to get the elevator buttons to reach the top and hopefully find him and my other friends."

"Oy, to think that you were here by coincidence or fate that our paths would cross again. Now that I understand the full picture, I'm deeply sorry to hear that," Clairvoya's eyes softened.

Instead of Morty, Luigi was the one who was starting to shed tears. But he quickly wiped them away with his green sleeve. "Thank you for understanding. For now, we're gonna get that megaphone. Later, I'm gonna find Mario."

"As much as I want to urge you to rush, it probably isn't a wise decision. Take things steady. We'll be waiting patiently."

"Just as long as my precious megaphone is in one piece, I'll be satisfied, too," Morty wept.

With another nod, Luigi valiantly led the group to find a bucket. As soon as he saw one behind one of the TVs, he carried it with his Poltergust G-00 and proceeded to warp to Studio 1. Since he didn't want his heart to pound from the creepy puppet, he released the bucket in the well and ran behind the camera. He brought Gooigi out to replay the scene. Colombo spectated while Daisy made the call.

"Action!"

In the spooky realm, a cool breeze flew by as Gooigi walked close to the well. Moments later, the woman screeched and popped out again. In her hands was a full bucket of water, ready to be poured onto a plant. Daisy stepped away for the set to return to normal. The full bucket was already attached to Gooigi's Poltergust. However, Luigi returned to his body so that he could carry and transfer it to the next studio.

Everyone got into their places as the medieval scene began filming. With Gooigi on the Castle Set, another large stone was catapulted over the northern wall to destroy the wheelbarrow. Before Gooigi could water the stem, a new breed of ghost came rushing out with a sword and shield. It was a Temper Terror, a variant of the Gold Ghost from the first mansion but with a heart protected by a flaming fireball. The Temper Terror engaged in a sword battle with a Goob, a Greenie, and a Slammer.

Gooigi shuddered as flashbacks to Castle MacFrights replayed in his gooey brain. **"At least I won't get hurt as bad compared to my own body..."**

"Come on, Gooigi! You can handle it!" Daisy gave him motivation.

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo acted as a live-studio audience member.

With the quartet of ghosts in the way, he had no choice but to fight them. He chose to take on the Goob and Greenie first since they were considered the weakest ghosts of the bunch. Gooigi timed his Strobulb flash and slams to get both of them captured in one stint. Then, he used a Burst to dodge the Slammer's shockwaves. With arrows hurling beyond the walls, Gooigi ignored them since they didn't puncture him. He ran around the Temper Terror, avoiding his fire attack. He was able to stun the Slammer before he could slap his red hands together. After catching him, the Temper Terror cackled as he released another fiery streak.

Normally, Luigi had to douse water on these kinds of ghosts to make them vulnerable. Conveniently, Gooigi had a bucket full of it. He attached it to the nozzle and carefully propelled a little water at the ghost, preserving the rest for the plant. The Temper Terror shrieked as his heart felt weak. Gooigi internally smirked before flashing the Strobulb and sucking up his body into the vacuum.

The castle was clear of ghosts, allowing him to water the stem. It grew into a ladder for the gooey man to climb up to the tower. From there, he grabbed the torch with the fire put out. Since it'd be difficult to climb down while it was attached, Gooigi daringly walked off the edge of the tower. He plopped onto the ground, startling Daisy and Colombo behind the camera. Thankfully, Gooigi was okay. Similar to the arrows, he barely felt any pain.

"Great! We got the torch. Now we need the fire!" Daisy smiled.

Luigi woke up and grabbed the metal tool with his own vacuum. Teleporting their way to the Fire Set, Gooigi returned as the lead actor with the town buildings engulfed in flames again. Before he could reignite the torch, the same ghosts from before arrived on the scene. The Blue Blazes disregarded the green plumber as they solely focused on getting rid of the fire. This time, Gooigi chose to stop the firefighters, as bad as it sounded.

He carried the torch near the burning buildings and ejected some flames at the Blue Blaze on the far left. Crying from the intense heat, his heart was completely vulnerable. Gooigi emitted a large flash and sucked up the ghost's health. The remaining firefighters were confused yet heated – no pun intended – that he was interfering with their jobs. As a counterattack, they spewed water from their hearts, as well as foam from the extinguishers. Gooigi had to be extremely cautious against them or he'd melt away. If anything, the water was probably harder to dodge than Bowser's fire breath.

And that's saying something.

Gooigi was quick on his gooey feet, avoiding the water streams and running around them on the street. He reclaimed the lit torch and brought the heat close to their bodies. The firefighters suffered the same fate as they dropped their extinguishers. Gooigi was lucky enough to get both trapped in the Poltergust's nozzle before slamming them repeatedly.

However, he wasn't done yet. The Hammer, portraying as the fire truck, floated over and thumped his chest when he realized his crew was gone. Likewise, with the other Hammers he faced, he had to dodge his bulky body. He released the torch, the flame burning out again. Gooigi initiated a Burst to jump over the shockwave. Once the ghost got back up, he stunned him for a few seconds and hurried to his behind. Considering it was easier to take down the Hammer with two people, Colombo jumped onto the Fire Set to help the gooey man. Daisy remained as the cinematographer, cheering for both of them.

"Yeah! You got this, guys!"

**"Let's take him down, boy!"**

"Arf!"

They each grabbed a tail and slammed onto the sidewalk. The Hammer escaped after the power gauge was used up. Grunting furiously, he tried to run them over. Colombo and Gooigi were speedy enough to get out of the way. With another flash of the Strobulb, the heroes sprinted to his rear a second time and whacked the huge ghost until he was gone, too.

Now that the room was clear, Gooigi grabbed the torch and carefully lit it once more. He set it down with the retaining fire before transporting to the G-00. Luigi headed over to grab the torch himself and walk through the television screen. All that was left was to burn down the webs. But first, he had to release the spider again.

"Okay, let's just get this over with so I don't have to look at it. You ready, Daisy?"

"I should be asking Gooigi that! Well, technically you're part of it... Ah, you know what I mean!"

The shed backdrop reappeared as Daisy peered into the lens. With the lit torch lying on the table's surface, Gooigi fired the plunger on the target of the cardboard box. The gigantic spider re-emerged from within, scuttling out until it made contact with the fire. Surprisingly, Gooigi didn't have to do much as he watched the eight-legged arachnid burn into ashes.

**"Okay, that was easier than expected."**

"But we'll take it! Go get that megaphone!" encouraged Daisy.

Gooigi grasped the torch and headed inside the box. He got rid of a few golden spiders, causing them to drop tons of money. But he went for the true prize as the fire disintegrated the webs. Morty's red megaphone came falling down next to him.

**"Oh, yeah! We did it!"**

Daisy wrapped up the scene as Gooigi returned to the G-00's container. She, Luigi, and Colombo went over to grab the megaphone and collect the cash.

"Nice work! Now we can bring this over to the director and hopefully get that elevator button!"

Luigi concurred, but his thoughts ran back to Morty. He still wasn't sure if it was worth sucking him up in the vacuum when he was much different than the other Portrait Ghosts that he faced up to this point. And with Madame Clairvoya's presence, he wouldn't dare to suck her up either unless she gave him permission like the first time. Luigi figured he would make a decision later. For now, they needed to hand Morty his valued treasure.

* * *

At the very least, Morty was no longer crying. Still, he remained upset and anxious. Was his beautiful, red megaphone in perfect shape, despite being lost? He was about to find out when he saw the far-left television flash. Luigi, Colombo, and Daisy returned to the Backstage with the desired object. Morty ogled for several seconds until he became ecstatic.

"Oh ho ho! You found it! And it appears to be untouched! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he shouted with joy.

Luigi handed it to him before he stepped back apprehensively. It did warm his heart that the director was finally happy. But he slightly cringed when he started hugging and caressing it.

"This isn't awkward at all," Daisy murmured to him.

"You're telling me," he whispered back.

"Okay, Morty. Now that you and your megaphone are reunited, are you ready to move onto your next phase?" questioned Clairvoya.

_"Next phase? Oh, boy. What are they talking about?"_

"Indeed! Now I can finally finish my movie! But... I'm missing something else," Morty held a finger to his chin.

"Oh, no. Don't tell me we have to go another scavenger hunt!" Daisy complained. "Finding the elevator buttons is tiring work by itself!"

"No, no, it's not that. I actually need..." Morty paused until he faced the timid plumber. Luigi flinched as their eyes locked on each other. "You!"

"Ahh! M-Me?" Luigi's teeth chattered.

"I've been so depressed that I never noticed how you truly look until now. I must say, your face... Did anyone tell you that you have some nice features?"

"Well, sure," answered the fortune-teller. "He's got plenty of physical traits that make him unique. His green hat, his glistening pools of blue, the nose, his clean, luxurious mustache..."

She kept going on until Daisy interrupted. "Are you trying to come on to _my_ man?"

Luigi was starting to feel really uncomfortable. It's not just from Morty clinging onto his shoulders. He couldn't stop shaking as he was afraid of what the director was planning to do.

"Yes, he's got some significant looks. His prowess is probably massive, too!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't say that myself," Luigi humbly declined. "Even Madame Clairvoya said that I'm not as brave as my brother, Mario."

"But I never said that you didn't possess any sort of courage. You're still affable and determined to do whatever it takes to rescue your loved ones," she reminded.

"Yes, those are some positive aspects about your personality. Not to mention, your build! Your stomach may look somewhat pudgy, but you're an incredibly, healthy man with some solid muscles!"

"Are _you_ coming on to Luigi?" Daisy cocked an eyebrow.

"One second. Just stand there." Morty floated a few feet away to get a better angle on Luigi. He used his index fingers and thumbs to form a rectangular frame, inspecting his facial features from a distance. All Luigi did was clench his fists by his side and furrow his eyebrows. "My goodness! I see all the makings of a star with my own eyes! My creativity is shaking off all the dust and surging to life! I won't be receiving raspberries or embarrassing awards with someone like you. You're gonna be my star pupil!"

"H-Huh?"

"You've got tons of potential, young man! How would you like to play the lead in my film?"

"Uhh..." he hesitated.

"Hold on. I have a question," Daisy raised a finger. "What's in it for him? He's not gonna be forced against his will to be your actor."

Morty ignored her question as he got a closer look at the princess. "Hmm... Interesting. Your physique and posture. Your stunning beauty and tomboyish hair..."

Daisy started to blush. "Oh. You... admire my looks?"

"Yes, quite fascinating... You look like the kind of woman who's raring to go an adventure with a peppy attitude! Yet you also seem to possess a burning flame in your heart to take on any sort of danger, regardless of the situation. No, you're nothing close to a damsel in distress. You're built like a heroine, eager to get right into the action! How would you like to be the lead actress?"

"Hmm... I think I'm starting to like this Morty guy, Luigi," Daisy smirked at the plumber, still shivering from before. "You got a deal, Mr. Director!" she shook his transparent hand.

The plumber couldn't believe how Daisy was convinced so quickly and easily.

"Ruff!"

"What's this now? Aw, an adorable, little pooch? I see that your wagging tail indicates that you're full of excitement and energy; is that correct?" he scratched the Polterpup's chin.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo stuck his tongue out happily.

"Ho ho! Yes, indeed! My intuition tells me that you're more than just a plain, old ghostly pup. You'll also be great in my movie! Come now, all three of you! Let's get to shooting!"

"Wait, shouldn't there be rehearsals? Or scripts to memorize our lines?" Daisy wondered.

"Is that even the best question to ask?" Luigi couldn't stop worrying.

"Don't worry, Luigi. You and your friends will be fine," said Madame Clairvoya soothingly. "I have no doubts that you'll please the director."

"Indeed! I'm confident you'll perform up to my expectations! Just improvise what a trio of heroes might say to each other. Now then, let's not waste any more time, shall we? Where's my crew?! Places, everyone! Let's get this movie on the road!"

Suddenly, the large door with the number '5' opened up to reveal a brand-new set. It was a miniature city surrounded by water. Morty then shoved Luigi lightly across the bridge. The plumber stuttered as he was unable to escape. If there was any indication that he had stage fright, his quivering legs were the giveaway. Daisy and Colombo joined his side while Madame Clairvoya floated behind as a spectator, holding a clapperboard. With everyone in place, Morty headed over to his chair, placed on top of a mechanical lift with his large camera. He lowered the machine to get the proper angle and close-up before filming.

"We need more lighting by the heroes' feet! Now just stand there until I get the camera focus... Ah, perfect! Okay, on my mark!

"Good luck," the fortune-teller waved her fingers.

Once the camera started recording, Morty was ready to shoot. "Aaaaand action!" he shouted as Clairvoya clapped the board.

A toy car rushed past Luigi's boot, knocking it slightly as it veered off the road.

"Oops, sorry!" he mumbled.

The camera slowly moved up from his feet to his body. The dimensions made him look like a giant roaming a bustling city. Even Daisy and Colombo were gargantuan compared to the buildings. As they each took several steps forward, they all heard a loud, rumbling sound.

"Huh?"

"What was that?" Daisy asked. She didn't say that line out of a script; she was frankly curious where that sound came from and what caused it.

"Arf!" Colombo was the first to notice the source. A giant dust cloud burst onto the scene from a distant part of the city. As it dissipated, a giant two-horned monster with dark green scales was terrorizing the place. He spotted Luigi and started making his way towards him.

Morty, who removed the camera from his mechanical lift, directed the shot at the plumber's face. His hands were planted on the sides of his head. His jaw dropped in anguish. "NOOOOOOO!"

"Holy crap! Are we fighting against Godzilla?!"

The monster continued wrecking the buildings while several explosions and fires sparked throughout the city. Daisy quickly noticed that when the creature turned around, she spotted a ghostly tail below. Instantly, she knew it was a ghost wearing a costume. But with the movie rolling, she figured it was best not to ruin it. She began improvising her lines.

"C'mon, Luigi! We've got to stop that monster from destroying the city!" she yelled heroically.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo was on board with her.

"I just hope that _we_ won't be the ones terrorizing the place, but I guess we don't have any agency to achieve that," Luigi gulped.

Since Daisy perceived the ghost actor first, her first instinct was to blind the monster with her Strobulb. Unfortunately, it wasn't effective. Streetlamps and fake trees starting falling as the monster stomped their way down the busy streets. He faced Luigi and inhaled deeply. Seconds later, a blue fireball came out of his mouth. The fiery orb rammed into his chest, causing the man to fall backward near the bridge.

"Luigi!"

He quickly got up and shook off the pain. To his surprise, the fireball didn't burn him whatsoever. Nevertheless, his upper body felt a little sore. He pushed his thoughts aside and rejoined the party.

"I'm alright. How are we going to stop him?"

"Maybe we can try to blow on the fireball as a counterattack."

"That's not a bad idea. Let's do it!"

The reptilian villain breathed out another flame at the heroes. Luigi and Daisy reacted in time to blow air out of their vacuums. The Polterpup cheered as he watched the fireball slowly move back towards the monster. As a result, the monster got knocked back, falling onto the street and nearly destroying some cars. Somehow, the nearby buildings remained intact.

"Good work, Daisy!"

"You too, Luigi!"

"Excellent! Keep it up!" Morty whispered with excitement. Madame Clairvoya was silent, but she had a smile underneath her veil. For a second, she decided to step back from the set to run a personal errand.

The monster recovered himself as his horns and body started to glow with azure sparks. Suddenly, his eyes turned orange. They were unaware of what his next move was until a bunch of fiery pellets spit out of his mouth.

"YAAH!" Luigi split up from the others. Daisy went to the east of the city while Colombo ran towards the monster. He was able to pounce on him briefly, making him slightly disoriented. He quickly regained his focus and continued to shoot fireballs at the protagonists. This time, one of them singed Luigi in the left arm.

"Ow! Hot hot hot! Why did that have to be a _real_ fireball?!"

He quickly dug his arm into the water that surrounded the city. The burning sensation immediately cooled off, allowing Luigi to sigh. However, his moment of relief was short-lived as the monster breathed out another large fireball at him. He barely evaded it as he ran to the corner of the town. Colombo stepped in and growled at the scaly beast. He sprung forward, immobilizing the menace with his front paws. The Polterpup couldn't restrain him for very long as the monster pushed him off. At the very least, the monster grew weary, but he wasn't handing Luigi a victory that easily.

As the giant roamed the city while destroying more skyscrapers, he inhaled another deep breath before his eyes lit green. A larger fireball released from his mouth. The plumber reacted by pushing the handle forward, blowing another gust of air towards the flame. However, he didn't have enough force to push it away.

"Daisy! I need some help!"

"Hold on, Luigi! Oops! Didn't mean to knock you over!" Daisy yelled as a car fell onto its side.

Reaching the southwest portion of the streets, the princess immediately stood beside her partner and released some air of her own. The fireball was slowly moving away from the heroes, eventually burning the monster's skin a second time.

"Whew... Thanks, Daisy."

"Don't thank me yet! This oversized dinosaur is still alive! Maybe one more hit oughta do it!"

"Arf!"

This time, the skin and horns were glowing both blue and green. The monster became enraged as he expelled another round of flames, forcing Luigi and Daisy to split up again. More trees and street lights tumbled down with the toy cars experiencing some fatal crashes. Colombo was able to turn invisible and avoid the burning orbs. He figured to sneak up behind and grab the ghostly tail that was projecting out of the bottom of the costume. As soon as he was inches from his target, he bit the tail.

A resounding roar echoed in the set that even Morty covered their ears. Madame Clairvoya, who returned to the City Set, mirrored his gestures. Luigi cringed as the loud shriek blew his eardrums. As he reopened his eyes, he panicked as a fireball came flying towards his face. He leaned his entire body back while Morty zoomed the camera directly at him with a bird's eye view. The man narrowly eluded the fire while somehow maintaining his balance.

"Ooh, what a stunning dodge! That'll be perfect to edit in my movie!" the director smirked.

The monster saw Daisy waiting for an opportunity to attack, so he challenged her by releasing an electric shockwave. The princess's eyes bulged as she expected another fire attack, only to realize this wasn't the case. She was incapable to use a Burst since the feature wasn't programmed into the Poltergust 5000. Instead, she had to hop over the waves with perfect timing.

Watching the tomboy in danger was exactly what Luigi was scared about from the beginning. All of the things that could potentially harm her, being an actress was the last thing that crossed his mind. Yet to his surprise and relief, Daisy's flexibility prevented her from getting shocked. Luigi couldn't help but cheer with unbridled emotion.

"Oh yeah! Show him how it's done!"

Daisy appreciated the encouragement, although she didn't expect Luigi to burst onto the scene with that much excitement in his voice. Even though they were helping a ghost film a movie, they were somehow having a fun time.

"Help me out here, Weegie!"

"I'm coming!" he rushed over to her side, simultaneously evading more fireballs.

Another enormous flame came out of the monster's mouth. Daisy and Luigi ejected air out of the nozzles to protect themselves once more. Colombo kept his teeth grasped on the monster's tail to weaken him. But the beast wasn't a pushover. Somehow, his strength was hard to overcome as the flame inched closer to the ghost hunters.

"L-Luigi! He's somehow stronger this time!"

"I-I know! But this is as hard as we can blow air onto it!"

E. Gadd quickly phoned in on the Virtual Boo's microphone. "Luigi! You're going to need some extra Poltergust power! Gooigi will have to be your savior again!"

"Three heads are better than two," he grunted against the mighty breath of the reptilian creature.

"Ruff!" Colombo's bark was muffled.

"Sorry! Four heads are better than three!" Luigi corrected. He temporarily fell asleep to allow Gooigi to take some control and start blowing on his Poltergust G-00. As it aimed towards the fireball, the monster blew even harder to counteract the three-man squad.

"C'mon! We're almost there!" Daisy shouted.

"Keep it going! This is your big chance to achieve stardom!" exclaimed Morty.

"You got this, Luigi," mumbled Madame Clairvoya.

The monster was gradually losing stamina and strength while the heroes maintained their composure. Even Colombo's bites were starting to hurt, causing him to lose his concentration. The green plumber squeezed his eyes shut as he, Daisy, and Gooigi were giving it their all. Refusing to stand down, Luigi screamed as their combined powers outmatched the monster. Colombo released the tail and watched the creature fall as he got burned for the third time. Dust and ash scattered everywhere across the barren roads. From within, a Blue Blaze groaned as his monster costume disintegrated. Now exposed to the heroes, he felt humiliated and frightened that he was going to get sucked up.

And that's exactly what was about to happen.

"Time for the final act! Go get him, Luigi!"

Although he didn't have a bucket of water nearby, he cupped some water in his gloves from the river and threw it at the ghost. His heart was weakened, allowing the plumber to stun him for a second. He pulled the handle towards him and sucked up the Blue Blaze's tail. He chose not to slam the remaining skyscrapers as he didn't want to destroy more of the set. Without struggling, Luigi effectively caught the monster in his vacuum.

Rest in peace to that ghost actor.

The heroes reunited to give each other a high-five. Colombo did a backflip and landed in his owner's arms.

"And cut!" Morty shouted through his prized megaphone. "Oh, yes! This is going to be a work of art! You were all brilliant! Energetic! Right on the money! Your performances were, dare I say, _c'est magnifique_!"

Setting the camera back onto the stand, Morty pulled off the rolls of film tape that recorded the entire movie. With his spare hand, he floated over to eagerly shake the humans' hands.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he echoed. Luigi nearly lost his balance as Morty went overboard on the handshake. "My movie will be a masterpiece once I edit this footage altogether! I know I've said this before many times, but I can't thank you enough!"

"It's no problem," Luigi chuckled. "I'm glad we were able to help shoot your film."

"Which by the way, will we get a chance to see it?" Daisy wondered.

"Oh, most certainly! I would happily let you be the first ones to witness my project! After all, you were the main co-stars!"

"Ruff!" Colombo was elated.

"Ho ho ho! I see your precious puppy is eager to watch it, too. I'll make sure to provide the best angles and shots that I've captured. Of course, the editing process will take some time. If you like, you can stay here in the studio for a while until I'm finished!"

"As much as we like to, I'm still worried about Mario and the others. I really want to save them as soon as possible."

"Me, too, Luigi," Daisy interjected. "But if I'm going to be honest, acting in front of the camera and spotlight has made me exhausted for some reason. I think I need a break to catch my breath."

The man in green wasn't one to disagree with the orange princess. If she was genuinely fatigued, maybe it was wise to take five. Or ten, at the minimum.

"Because you were remarkably kind to star in my film, help yourself to the refreshments behind my director's chair! There is some good food and water for you to replenish your energy!"

"Thanks! I gotta say, maybe Luigi was right. I'm starting to think that not all ghosts are totally evil. You're probably the coolest one I've met so far!"

"Why, I appreciate the compliment!" Morty scratched his head, blushing. "And you're probably the most animated actress I've ever hired!"

"Did you hear that, Luigi? I think I might want to try out acting as a career outside of my royal duties!" she somewhat joked.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to my Editing Room! I'll call you over when I'm done! And once again, thank you all kindly for your efforts – both in finding my beautiful megaphone and participating in my movie!" Morty's smile widened from cheek to cheek before leaving the heroes.

Soon after, Daisy turned over to the fortune-teller. "So, now that I got to know Morty properly, I guess I should do the same with you. I'm Daisy, princess of Sarasaland. Sorry for assuming that you were malevolent like the others."

"I accept your apology, Your Majesty," Madame Clairvoya bowed her head. "I'm just more thankful that you were able to prevent Morty from creating a river of tears."

"By the way, Madame, how are you doing ever since you were released from your painting?" asked Luigi.

"Well, to be frank, I wasn't expecting to be let out after I allowed you to be sucked up in that old vacuum of yours. I can see that you've got a highly upgraded version attached to your back right now. Sorry, I'm veering off. The first thing I remember was all of the other Portrait Ghosts scattering around this strange, swanky hotel. I presume the one who released me was none other than the hotel owner herself, correct?"

"Yeah... Hellen Gravely," he mentioned that name with a hint of contempt.

"That purple swine tricked me into thinking I was getting a free vacation only to miss an important meeting in my kingdom. The only positives out of this were being rescued by Luigi and helping him capture the ghosts that have escaped," explained Daisy.

"Is that so? I guess I can believe that since you are wielding a red vacuum as well. Pray tell, who have you caught so far?"

"Um, there's Neville, Lydia, and Chauncey whom we encountered at one point in the RIP Suites," Luigi recalled.

"Don't forget that giant pig in the shower."

"Oh yeah, Miss Petunia. There was also Shivers who was accompanying Chambrea, a housekeeping maid who was given one of the elevator buttons."

"Uh-huh. I have a strong inkling there are more unique ghosts to the list."

Luigi and Daisy nodded as they went through the other names. First, there was Steward, Hellen's younger brother who impersonated the main bellhop.

Then, Uncle Grimmly and Officer Kruller from the Hotel Shops.

Chef Soulfflé, Mr. Luggs, and Slim Bankshot within the Mezzanine.

Amadeus Wolfgeist, Melody, the Whirlindas, and a Poltergeist from The Great Stage.

King MacFrights from his medieval-themed, yet hazardous, level.

The Three Sisters and Dr. Potter from the Garden Suites. Not to mention, the deranged feline menace known as Polterkitty.

"My, what a collection. You've accomplished a lot of ghost-catching that you must be tired of it."

"Actually, we're far from it," Daisy mentioned. "It's been an awesome thrill ride for me! Except for Castle MacFrights and Polterkitty, in my opinion. Learning the ropes and putting the skills to the test helped me become confident in fighting ghosts. Of course, I wouldn't have done it without a great teacher in Luigi."

"Aw, Daisy," the plumber's cheeks flushed red.

Madame Clairvoya couldn't help but snicker. "Either way, you're all doing a fine job progressing through the hotel. I do hope you'll find your brother and the rest of your friends."

"Thank you. But now that we're standing here, a question just popped in my mind."

"Yes, Luigi?"

"Do you know anything about Hellen Gravely? Or the unique Portrait Ghosts that have been hired in her staff to guard the elevator buttons, including Morty? I'm kinda curious how she managed to set up this ruse."

"Hmm... I'm not exactly the best at describing the past. As a fortune-teller, I'm the kind of being who looks into the future."

"Oh... That's true."

"However, I suppose it's worth a try. You see, while you were acting on the set, I stepped away for a moment to find my crystal ball. Turns out that I just had it lying in my special purse that I left in the corner of the Backstage because I set it down to console Morty. I just completely forgot since his nonstop bawling distracted me," she shook her head in embarrassment.

"At least you found it."

"Right. Anyway, why don't we set things up over there?"

"Ok. This should be interesting," Daisy commented.

"Definitely," Luigi spoke.

"Arf!"

Everyone returned to the Backstage as Madame Clairvoya pushed a black chest over to the center and placed her crystal ball on top. She sat in Morty's director chair while Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo stood on the other side while eating some croissants and pastries from the refreshments table. As they dug into their late-night snacks, the fortune-teller began her examinations on Hellen Gravely and the Boss Ghosts.

Meanwhile, the group was unaware that they were being watched. But it wasn't from one of Hellen's security cameras. It was a pair of azure eyes. They were specifically directed at the green plumber...

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

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_I'm just going to say, right off the bat, that the next chapter will mostly be filler to give the ghosts some backstories on their past and how they got here. I've gotten many requests early on to provide some kind of lore. I sort of did this with Steward, but I'm going to do my best. I was saving this moment for a long time, and I wanted Madame Clairvoya to take control. I hope you'll be intrigued!_

_Thanks for reading Part 2 of Paranormal Productions. Sorry that the movie was practically unchanged from what was shown in the game. I have other ideas to implement later in the story. For now, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo won't be heading up in the hotel as they're taking a break. What secrets or information will they uncover from the fortune-teller? How will Morty's movie pan out? And who was that stalker at the end?_

_Let me know how this one went, and leave a favorite/follow to be updated on future chapters. As for me, I'm about to take my midterm and prepare a trip to see my friends for the first time in four months. I'll be busy next week that I probably won't have much time to write. If anything, the next update will probably be in July. Until then, I'll see you in Ch. 20 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	21. Ch 20: Apparition Analysis

_A/N:__ Alex Wells/Colonel Shamrock, I need to be serious with you since you keep leaving Guest messages. Whether you are the same person or not, please stop constantly asking for updates. You even mentioned that you would stop doing that months ago. You need to be patient, okay? I can't update every single week or month. The more you keep begging, the more annoyed I'll be. To explain, I wanted to upload this sooner, but my sister flew down to visit me and my family a few weeks ago, and I ended up taking another hiatus. Plus, I was in the middle of proofreading one last time when you sent that guest review earlier this morning. Stop assuming what's going on in my life, especially stuff involving COVID. It's really pissing me off... If you have a problem with me, feel free to stop following this story._

_Even though this is considered to be filler, I've been dedicated to writing this chapter out so I can fulfill some people's requests from the beginning. Luigi and the gang will be taking a closer look at the ghosts' pasts and how Hellen's sinister plot came to fruition. Some descriptions are graphic, so read at your own risk._

_Anyway, I'll leave it from here and head straight into the next chapter._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Anything related to Mario or Luigi's Mansion is owned by Nintendo._

* * *

**Chapter 20:** Apparition Analysis

Once everyone was situated, Madame Clairvoya held her hands above her magical crystal ball. White lights sparkled within the glass sphere as she looked into the past, the antithesis of her normal habits. For Luigi's sake, she wanted to help him learn more about Hellen Gravely and the ghosts they've encountered from the previous floors. Once the fortune-teller finished her actions, she was prepared to tell the group everything as they listened intently.

"Years ago, Hellen Gravely mainly lived in solitude, a drifter if you want to call her that. But growing up, she had a specific passion: real estate. She was interested in the hotel industry, hoping to construct a building to her liking that was far more unique than any hotel in the universe. Unfortunately, she never got the opportunity to do so when she passed away in her mid-twenties. A tragic car crash took her life, but her soul was converted into the ghost whom you've met. While she did lose a lot of things, that didn't deter her from achieving her dream. She spent years constructing The Last Resort. Throughout the duration, she slowly developed an interest in someone during her time as a ghost."

"King Boo?" Luigi guessed, even though it felt obvious to him.

"You are correct. Hellen admired the king of the Boos for his sheer appearance and spookiness. With the powers to turn invisible and spark illusions to the unsuspecting public, he was truly a force to be reckoned with. He's far trickier and devious than Bowser, and that's saying something."

"Please don't get me started on his _tricks_," the plumber shuddered.

"My apologies. Nevertheless, those traits that define King Boo have persuaded Hellen to be someone like him – a powerful, prosperous, and conniving apparition. She was aware of the fact that you, Luigi, have successfully captured the king twice already. Your most recent encounter was when you restored the Dark Moon in Evershade Valley."

"Right. To this day, King Boo continues to haunt me. Every day, I get scared of the thought that he would somehow come out of his prison and capture Mario again. Well, look at where I am right now," he sighed.

Colombo nudged the pant of his overalls, feeling sympathetic for his owner again. Daisy laid her hands on his back and shoulder to soothe him, too.

Clairvoya continued gazing at her ball. "Hellen was so desperate to meet him face-to-face that she needed to come up with a plan to release him. That's where she followed up on her interests in real estate, and her fabulous resort would play an integral role in her evil scheme."

A visual image appeared as the purple-skinned woman went to work, drawing schematics of her dream hotel and how she wanted to build it.

"The local ghosts throughout the mountainside were asked by Hellen herself to be part of her hotel staff. Frankly, they were a bit unsure if they wanted to work for her, but she offered an incentive."

"What was that?" Daisy wondered.

"It's nothing groundbreaking. She allowed them a place to live since the majority were homeless or simply roaming around with no purpose. She also requested them to build her hotel, to which the ghosts complied."

Then, the crystal ball changed visuals as the Goobs, Hammers, Oozers, and Slinkers wore hard helmets. Using tools, cranes, and other construction equipment, the ghosts built the multi-story hotel, to Hellen's delight.

"Now that her hotel was finished, the next step in her plan was to hire some employees. Normally, a hotel owner would want to seek assistance to provide quality service to vacationers. But more importantly-"

"She wanted people to guard the elevator buttons," Luigi deduced, disrupting the fortune-teller. "Oh, sorry."

"No, it's okay, Luigi. Yet you are right."

"How did Hellen recruit those ghosts who were holding onto the buttons, including Morty?" asked Daisy.

"Good question, Princess. Let's see what the crystal ball has to say."

The heroes watched the female spirit bring her hands close to her possession. After a minute elapsed, Madame Clairvoya conjured up a general sense of the Boss Ghosts they've already faced.

"Besides the variety of generic spirits, one of Hellen's top priorities was to assemble a staff of responsible, intimidating ghosts to maintain this gargantuan skyscraper and guard the elevator buttons. She decided to make each floor unique with a certain theme, something she drew up in her original blueprints. First, she needed someone to man the lobby. That's where she recruited her younger sibling, Steward Gravely."

"Hmm... I slightly recall the moment he mentioned Hellen was his sister," Daisy pondered.

"Steward was more of an introverted person; a timid being who only wanted to be respected by others. As a kid, he would always follow Hellen as a guide or a role model. But as they grew up, there were times when the two did not get along with each other, which is something expected between any pair of siblings."

"That couldn't be far from the truth," Luigi mumbled, remembering a few instances where he and Mario had some fallouts. At least they were still close to one another that they didn't hold any major grudges.

"Not only that, Steward happened to be the passenger in the car accident, just a young teenager who was about to graduate high school. He, too, became a ghost after his death. Since then, he lost respect for her, and the two began to drift. They've been separate for nearly a decade, surprisingly. Then, after her hotel was built, a fateful day emerged as Hellen ran into him and asked if he could be the main bellhop of her hotel. While he was reluctant, she went on a long speech, apologizing to Steward for not being a caring sister. It was an awkward conversation. But eventually, he gave in to her apology and accepted the job. From there, he thought Hellen was changing for the better. Little did he know that Hellen was more interested in King Boo than her own blood brother. She was only using him for a simplistic yet insignificant role."

"Dang," Daisy murmured. "I can't imagine how he feels right now, thinking that he's doing a huge favor for her. He even said that Hellen treats him like family, but it seems that he was under the impression that she changed. Plus, there's some beef between them. It kinda makes me feel bad for yelling at him."

"To be fair, he seemed less manipulative than Hellen. Nevertheless, you have to wonder if it runs in the family," mentioned E. Gadd.

"All I can remember is that creepy mask that he wore," Red Toad added, shivering at the image. "I can't believe we all thought that was his real face!"

"Anyway," Madame Clairvoya continued, "he worked alongside the other ghosts in the lobby, who were none other than the Goobs. However, they couldn't speak English properly. They behave similarly to the generic ghouls from the first mansion and Evershade Valley. For them to act as employees, Steward pre-recorded audio clips to make them sound inviting. Their 'voices' were played through a secret microphone hidden within their clothing."

"I never would've guessed that. But how would they even respond to our questions normally back when we were in the lobby?" Luigi was confused.

"You see, Hellen gave a voice modifier to Steward so he could feed lines to the employees' microphones. He had to be _very_ discreet to not get caught by any of you," explained Clairvoya.

"Geez, what a setup. Even I was fooled by him, and I didn't know it was a ploy until King Boo came out of nowhere!" exclaimed Daisy.

"What about the other Boss Ghosts we've faced? What are their backstories?" Luigi pressed forward.

"Ah, yes. We're getting a bit off track, aren't we? Let me see... Ah, I see that you caught Chambrea and Shivers back in the RIP Suites. While we do know Shivers fairly well, Chambrea is more of a high-spirited woman who was _obsessed_ with cleaning. She was always organized and tidy that even the smallest dust bunny could make her shriek. As a child, Chambrea was diagnosed with asthma. Although the dust has been a major trigger to her breathing condition, the only time it bothered her was whenever she saw some lying around a dirty surface. Unfortunately, an asthma attack hospitalized the housemaid. Her lungs gave out before her body became a spirit. She was only forty-eight."

"Oh, boy. That's sad to hear," Luigi frowned.

"When Chambrea heard about a job opening at The Last Resort, she had a quick interview with Hellen. Instantly, she was hired on the spot. She went straight to polishing every nook and cranny of the building, from the ground floor to the penthouse. And now that she's a ghost, she barely needs to worry about her allergies! However, most of the ghosts were a little concerned for her obsessive, neat-freak habits."

"I have my own personal butlers and maids at my castle, but they aren't as crazy as her. I probably wouldn't hire her even if she was more than qualified for the job!" shouted Daisy.

Next, the crystal ball showed Office Kruller. Surprisingly, his face wasn't as scared as the heroes have seen. He was rather courageous.

"Officer Tom Kruller, a chubby man who always had a sense of pride and love for glazed donuts. He became a professional police officer by the age of twenty-five and wound up to be the patrol chief of Coconut Mall. He also made headlines when he managed to arrest ten criminals in the Mushroom Kingdom's 'Most Wanted' list. His determination to bring justice to the world made him one of the most-revered cops in history."

"Whoa. That's really impressive," Daisy was enthralled.

Clairvoya nodded. "So many shoppers would come up and thank him for doing his job. Others might strike a friendly conversation with him since he was a very affable being. He always believed the world could be a better place if people could act accordingly and contribute to society, which was why he became an officer in the first place. Of course, he had to deal with the risk of facing some tough individuals. That was nothing new to Kruller since he had excellent experience...

"But then one day, he helped evacuate citizens from a motorcycle gang who invaded Coconut Mall. The criminals were haywire, wreaking havoc to the stores and endangering the shoppers and employees within. Kruller was brave enough to face the criminals with his police squad. He managed to save tons of lives. However, the leader of the gang sent out a bunch of lethal dogs to terrorize and charge at the officers. Kruller, who didn't want to shoot bullets at the animals, did his best to avoid them. One of them managed to bite his hand, causing him to drop his weapon. Moments later, the gang leader fired at Kruller who was defenseless. The officer was pronounced dead after fifteen years of honorable service, shattering the community's hearts after they learned about the devastating news."

Hearing about Kruller's past made Luigi depressed. Not because he was well-accomplished and successful as a policeman, but because he ended up fighting him back in the Lost and Found. He took the ghost down all for an elevator button. At the same time, Luigi felt miserable for disrespecting an established officer like him. Now that he's currently stuck in E. Gadd's Ghost Container, guilt started to course through Luigi's blood.

"Since that incident, Kruller became a ghost and immediately lost all of his confidence. He developed a fear of guns and dogs, too. Despite Hellen allowing him to be the chief officer of her Hotel Shops, Kruller was never the same. It's a shame, really."

"Luigi, are you alright?" Daisy noticed his fretful face.

"No, not after what I did to him. No wonder Kruller was so anxious whenever Colombo came up to him. Even worse, he's afraid of combat ever since he got shot. If I would've known, I could've played peacemaker and ask for the button without harming him. Now _I_ feel like a criminal."

Colombo whined as he faced the floor, also feeling sorry for the pudgy policeman.

"You had to do what was best to get closer to saving your friends, Luigi," reminded Madame Clairvoya. "Yes, I understand your guilt, but even I don't think Kruller blames you."

"I completely doubt that."

"Either way, his character wouldn't hold a grudge against you. If he knew that you were out here risking your life to save others to a different extent, he would respect you for your efforts."

"When you put it that way, maybe. Still, I'm not happy with myself."

"Why don't we move on and learn about the remaining Boss Ghosts?" suggested Daisy.

Clairvoya concurred and brought her hands over her crystal ball. She began to talk about the chef from 2F.

"This is Bobby Soulfflé, a renowned chef who ran his own restaurant: Soulfflé Flambé. It was one of the most popular restaurants where Bobby prioritizes making the most mouthwatering meals with the finest ingredients. He refuses to let any hot dish be served cold and makes sure his food comes out perfectly. If any of his line cooks do not meet the customers' expectations, his temper boils faster than bubbling oil on a stove."

"We've definitely seen that from him a few times," commented Daisy.

"His five-star restaurant made him become one of the biggest celebrity chefs in the world. Even Officer Kruller got a chance to taste his food, and he was impressed. One of his favorites is his Spicy Linguine. With the essence of a Fire Flower, it gives the pasta a special burst of flavor that will warm up your taste buds; but at the same time, it can fire you up – literally speaking. Soulfflé's signature entrée is a rendition of the popular Shroom Steak you all know and love. Whether you want it medium rare or well done, he adds a special sauce to enhance the flavor. To top it all off, he bakes his famous, secret-recipe chocolate soufflés as a delectable dessert. His cooking skills made him a fascinating hire for Hellen's Kitchen. Ooh, my mouth is actually watering after talking about food."

Luigi's stomach could say the same, except it didn't have a mouth. All it did was growl despite eating some snacks from Morty's table.

"But regarding his death, he suffered a heart attack at the age of fifty-five. As for his restaurant, it was shut down years later when critics noticed that the cooks lowered their standards and diminished the quality of Soulfflé's specialties. Additionally, it was infested with rats."

"Yuck," Luigi stuck out his tongue.

"Apparently, that appears to be a trend for Chef Boy since we saw some rats in the Mezzanine. Hellen's lucky that she doesn't have a health inspector around here. Unless he's a ghost as well," said Daisy.

"Well, that's another ghost down. Who's next on the list?"

"It looks like my crystal ball is going through the ghosts you've caught in order. Following Chef Soulfflé is Amadeus Wolfgeist, am I correct?"

"That's right," Luigi nodded. "We met him in The Great Stage with Melody."

With Amadeus's face appearing inside the crystal, Clairvoya reached out to the spirits to explain his musical history.

"This talented musician actually learned how to read and write music at the age of five. Shocking, yes? He played violin and keyboard at that time, but he eventually chose to stick his life to piano for the majority of his career. He even performed his first concert with his own compositions a year later."

"At six years old?" Luigi gaped. The more he started to learn about the ghosts he and Daisy caught, the more astonished he became.

"He also performed his first symphony at age eight," Clairvoya smiled behind her veil. "Such a smart, interesting kid. As he grew up, he traveled the world to perform his music to many audiences in various locations. He definitely made a name for himself, yes?"

"Not gonna lie, but I can agree to that," Daisy soaked in all the information. "It's crazy how an old man like him can learn music at a young age and get consistently better for decades."

"Well, don't let his appearance fool you, Princess," the fortune-teller's eyes dimmed. "He passed away at the age of thirty."

"Wait, really?"

"No way," Luigi softly gasped. Colombo was crestfallen as well.

Clairvoya nodded sadly. "An illness struck him where he was bedridden for a while despite trying to create more works. He was a month shy from celebrating what could've been his thirty-first birthday."

"Golly... That's also sad to hear."

"Well, that's the last time I'll assume a person's age by their looks," Daisy was disappointed in herself.

"No need to fret about it," Clairvoya reassured.

"Hearing about him makes me wish I didn't suck him up in the G-00. The same thing goes for Melody." Luigi paused for a moment. "Oh, boy..."

"What's the matter?" Daisy saw the anxious look on his face.

"Are you still upset about capturing her?" Clairvoya wondered.

"Well, yes. But it's something else."

"What is it?"

"I have a bad feeling that Shivers is hitting on her as we speak."

* * *

_~Meanwhile_

Inside E. Gadd's lab, the Portrait Ghosts within the Ghost Container had been sealed inside several impenetrable glass capsules that they can't even escape... unless the professor hits the wrong button on the remote. As for Luigi's worrying statement, the seventy-two-year old butler was desperately trying to woo the blonde musician, but to no avail.

"Melody, if we ever get out of this blasted prison, I'll give you the time of day, take you to some of the most glorious vacation sites, enjoy a splendid five-course meal with you, and more! I'll do anything if you just give me a chance!" Shivers implored desperately.

"Oh, heavens," Melody rolled her eyes. "Why does his capsule have to be close to mine?"

"If you're thinking about five-course meals, you better not think about going to some fancy-schmancy restaurant that'll only disappoint your taste buds. You have to let _me_ cook your dinner!" Chef Soulfflé interrupted.

"Don't listen to that arrogant chef," scoffed Mr. Whirlinda. "Before my wife and I got captured, we ate your food, and we were absolutely disgusted! I ordered a filet mignon, medium rare! And what did you serve me? A raw slab of meat, frozen no less!"

"Not to mention the fact that my chicken was completely undercooked, too!" Mrs. Whirlinda scowled at the chef. "I may be a ghost, but the last thing I want is to waltz on the ballroom floor while hurling up from salmonella!"

"Sacre bleu! My dishes are better than that! Those stupid Goobs can't follow basic instructions from moi!"

"You're seriously blaming your sous-chefs? Are you sure that you're an actual chef?" Uncle Grimmly raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe you all just have poor taste!"

"Beg to differ. Even the dust bunnies think your food is subpa- aah, AAACHOOO!" Chambrea sneezed.

"Well, I don't know about that," Mr. Luggs spoke up. "That buffet I had before the green man sucked me up was way better than the one I initially had!"

Kruller also defended Soulfflé. "I've known Chef Bobby for a while, and his desserts are the sweetest that I've ever tasted! The warm, oozing chocolate from his signature soufflés, ooh! It goes perfectly well with a donut – either glazed or iced with sprinkles!"

"See? At least someone appreciates my food!"

"I've had better, that's all I'll say," Mr. Whirlinda ended the conversation.

"Please, Melody! Listen to me!" the elderly butler yelled at her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Shivers? I'm not going on a date with you! Do I need to explain the _significant_ age difference between us?!"

"Shivers, can't you see the poor woman is agitated?" Amadeus looked unimpressed as he adjusted his black bowtie. "She deserves a fine, distinguished, and responsible mate to be with, preferably someone who has musical talent."

"If you think about trying to steal her away from me, then so help me-"

"WAAAH!"

"Gah! Where's that crying coming from?" Miss Petunia covered her ears.

"It's coming from Chauncey because you bozos won't zip your lids!" Neville scolded.

"We spent so long trying to get him to sleep, only for you to wake him up!" Lydia was just as angry.

"Perchance if thou didn't raise a child, we wouldn't hast to deal with this!" King MacFrights complained.

"How dare you say that to our baby! What kind of rotten king are you?!"

"Rotten?! I am a brave leader of royalty, mind thou!"

"You're also an irritating windbag who can't even outduel a man with a bleeding knee!" Neville pointed out.

More ghosts started to butt in and began arguing with each other aside from the Poltergeist, who couldn't speak their language, and Steward. Hellen's brother stayed silent as he spoke to himself.

"I'm starting to think that Hellen didn't give me this job as a way of saying 'sorry'. I should've known she was a manipulative wench."

* * *

_~Back to 8F_

"Uh, let's not worry about that, Luigi. If anything, they'll be fine as long as they're stuck in the Ghost Container," Daisy pushed the subject away.

"Now, where were we?" Madame Clairvoya placed a hand under her masked chin. "Ah, yes. The next ghost from Hellen's staff that you've caught. It appears to be King MacFrights."

"Oh, yeah... him. From the worst level we had to venture through," Luigi moaned.

"Are you sure it's not the Garden Suites?" Daisy looked at him quizzically.

"After thinking about it, those damn arrows and axes were far more dangerous and worse than being strangled by plants."

"Whatever you say," she shrugged. "Ironically, I think that's the worst level, but we're not at that point to know about Dr. Pot-sticker yet."

"Don't you mean Dr. Potter?" Clairvoya thought she heard the wrong name.

"I know what I said. At least I didn't call him Pot-head again."

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo abruptly yapped as he wanted to learn more.

"Sorry, boy," Luigi apologized. "Let's move on."

"Okay, so King Arthur MacFrights, believe it or not, is a descendant of a great dynasty. The MacFrights used to live far away from the Mushroom Kingdom before building a colony that was acres away from Toad Town. It's been said that their royal town was built somewhere close to these mountains. But their civilization had been destroyed by some unknown forces."

"Unknown forces? Are you sure they aren't related to Bowser's Koopa Troop?" presumed Daisy.

"No. Apparently, they were taken over by some strange race of purple mushroom creatures."

"Wait," Luigi paused her. "Purple mushroom creatures? You don't mean..."

"What?" Daisy stared at him.

"The Shroobs invaded the MacFrights' kingdom?"

Clairvoya nodded at the plumber. "Indeed. The mushroom aliens captured Arthur's parents during the attack. They were pronounced missing since then."

"When Mario and I ventured to the past, we met our infant selves and teamed up with them to stop the Shroobs after they abducted Peach. Thank the Star Spirits that we found her, but we never once heard about Arthur or his family's legacy."

"Despite the invasion, Arthur survived. Yet he was the only living member of the MacFrights. He managed to gather his remaining citizens to rebuild the empire. And as the prince grew up, before the title of king was passed onto him, he became a fan of the medieval jousts. Watching people clash against each other strived him to be one of the most dignified swordsmen of all-time. He wound up fighting against all sorts of enemies who tried to conquer his newly built kingdom. Eventually, injuries and wounds became too severe during one battle that he wasn't able to recover. He died at the age of forty...

"Since then, he had the desire to rule a new kingdom, but he didn't have a stable foundation after converting into a ghost. Coincidentally, Hellen encountered him one day and asked Arthur about his repertoire. His resume for being an experienced jouster convinced her to specifically build a floor, or rather a castle, just for him. All at the expense of guarding an elevator button."

"Honestly, I can believe the whole jousting thing after what we got into," Luigi reminisced, shuddering at the thought of his pointed staff nearly piercing him. "So now all that's left is Dr. Potter. Well, except for Morty and the ones that we'll probably meet up later."

"If you like, I could explain more about the new ghosts you come across."

"Yeah, that would be interesting."

"So, Dr. Potter?" Daisy prompted.

"My bad," Clairvoya focused on her crystal ball once more. "Dr. Sycamore Potter, a man who graduated with a degree in Botany and Plant Physiology. He has a keen, green thumb as he takes care of wildlife. Though it is concerning how some of that wildlife is more than just _living_."

"Yeah. He looks after plants that are sentient to either consume us wholly or block our tracheas!" Daisy clenched a fist.

"But more surprisingly, he used to be a former caretaker of the Haunted Towers residence."

True to her words, it was surprising to Luigi. "Really? Did he happen to know the Three Sisters before all this?"

"According to my crystal ball, it appears so. They all have a passion for gardening, but I don't think any of the sisters had as much heart to tend flowers and shrubs as Dr. Potter. He only stayed at the towers for a few decades before moving out of Evershade Valley. He came up developing his own special seeds to grow the most obscure plants."

"I can bet a hundred coins that's how Pumpkin was born," Daisy grumbled.

"Can't forget about Petunia," reminded Luigi.

"You're not talking about Miss Petunia, are you?" Clairvoya was bewildered.

"Oh no. Dr. Potter grew a beanstalk and said her name was Petunia. We found Miss Petunia a few days ago in the RIP Suites. But now that you mentioned it, that's kinda confusing to differentiate since their names are basically the same."

"Ruff!"

"So, how did he pass away?"

"Unlike the others, Dr. Potter simply died at an old age of eighty-eight. No accidents or mishaps while he was tending his gardens. His beating heart just gave out. But after he turned into a ghost, the first thing he did was reunite with his trustworthy watering can. Afterward, he made plans to revisit the Haunted Towers before Hellen approached him and asked if he could be the caretaker of the Garden Suites instead. Despite the strange request, he settled in comfortably on the spacious floor. That was where he grew his special plants: Petunia and Pumpkin, as you mentioned earlier. The spirits did note that you battled the Three Sisters again, Luigi."

"That's right. Dr. Potter said that he invited them over as a potential place to stay there forever."

"Except all four of them got captured by us. I'm just glad we don't have to deal with that floor again, especially after Polterkitty."

Colombo shook his head, thinking about how ferocious Hellen's cat was back in the Garden Suites.

"Hold on. That's another ghost we haven't discussed yet. How did she become Hellen's pet? And why was she able to transform into a monster?"

"I guess my work here isn't done yet. But I'll be willing to find the answer in just a moment."

While Clairvoya was busy, the same set of eyes that were planted at Luigi this entire time disappeared before passing through the wall behind. It ended up in Morty's Editing Room.

"Ah, here we go. Polterkitty, a spectral feline with multiple tails. She used to be a domesticated pet before being abandoned in the lost streets of the Mushroom Kingdom. With no sources of food or water, she became a ghostly kitty from starvation. Before her resort was built, Hellen was roaming around one dark night as she came across an alley. After hearing a soft meow, she was curious and peeked near the dumpsters. There, she discovered Polterkitty. Hellen took her in and adopted her immediately. She made sure to give her necessities to survive and lots of love. Hellen practically gave her a home with The Last Resort...

"But as time flew by, Hellen's desire to meet King Boo in person started to plague her mind. She trained Polterkitty to change forms and turn into a vicious panther, practicing to prey on her target."

"Which would be me," Luigi mumbled.

"Hellen bestowed her kitty with a violet pendant that grants her a trigger sequence to transform into the demon you faced. If I were to guess, breaking that crystal could prevent her from becoming a major threat in your path."

"Interesting. I would've never guessed that a cat like Polterkitty can turn into something else through the power of a gem. Then again, she gave one to King Boo..." Daisy trailed off.

"Neither the spirits nor I do not quite know the origins of the jewelry, but they seem to be very influential for the wrong reasons," Madame stated. "But she decided to implement Polterkitty in her plan. Then, she invited the professor over to her hotel, manipulated him into bringing King Boo who was in the old Boo Canister, freed the Portrait Ghosts from their paintings-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Luigi held up his hands. "Backpedal there for one second. Manipulated him? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I'm sorry?" Madame Clairvoya didn't understand.

"The professor said that Hellen released King Boo, but that would mean..."

"Luigi?" Daisy was apprehensive when she noticed his eyes narrowing.

The man in green took a moment to call E. Gadd through the Virtual Boo. The moment his face appeared on the red screen, the professor was sweating bullets. For Luigi, he was _glaring_.

"Uh, hello there, young feller," he waved his hand.

"Professor, you specifically told me that you got an invitation to Hellen's hotel just so you can see her so-called ghost collection. But there's a devil in the details, isn't there?"

"Erm... How do I put this lightly?" E. Gadd twiddled his thumbs.

"Professor..." his tone sounded intimidating.

"Oh, bother... So, it's true that Hellen sent me a letter, right around the time I finished creating and testing out Gooigi's functionality. And yes, she brought up the offer of sporting a collection of ghosts who lived and worked at the resort. In the invitation, Hellen wrote that she would compensate by handing me her rare ghost collection if she..." E. Gadd hesitated for a few seconds.

"If she _what_?"

A silent gulp came from him. Simultaneously, Red Toad whispered, "This is not good at all..."

"...If she could see King Boo... in person..." he finished.

Even though he was physically eight floors apart from him, seeing Luigi's face through the VB gave E. Gadd a clear sign that he was _livid_. Even Colombo, Daisy, and Madame Clairvoya were uncomfortable with the tension lingering in the Paranormal Productions. The Italian remained silent, prompting the old scientist to finish his anecdote.

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "When I couldn't resist the offer, I packed the Boo Canister in my wagon, attached the hook to my car, and drove straight here all in one day. I met with Hellen immediately, who offered great hospitality from the get-go. Afterward, she guided me to my hotel room before night approached. She asked if she could see King Boo face-to-face, but I politely denied knowing how evil the ghost king is! Unfortunately, she managed to sneak into my room past midnight while I was sleeping. Hellen found my remote to release my personal ghost collection and King Boo. That was when I realized too late that I was tricked, and.. well..." he was too ashamed to end his statement.

"I can't believe you..." Luigi felt betrayed. "You thought it was a smart idea to bring King Boo with you, just to show him off to some stranger that you don't even know? All for some stupid, worthless ghosts?!" he started to boil up.

"Luigi, let me explain-"

"You've already explained enough!" he uncouthly interrupted. "After all the hard work that I've done for you, it led up to another kidnapping where my big bro is forced to suffer as a wall display! Even worse, Princess Peach is caught up in the middle of it! Hasn't she endured enough after Bowser keeps tormenting her?! Plus, the Toads wouldn't have been captured! Both you and Daisy wouldn't have been captured! I could've suffered the same fate if I hadn't escaped down the laundry chute! Regardless, the reason why King Boo is on the loose wasn't because of Hellen. It was because you were too careless!"

"Luigi! Wait!"

Suddenly, out of rage, the plumber removed the goggles off his face, held it high above his head, and slammed it onto the floor. The Virtual Boo smashed as black and red pieces flew in various directions. Everyone jumped from his abrupt actions. Luigi, wheezing heavily, was totally disheveled.

"Luigi..." Daisy mumbled. She was speechless that Luigi threw a tantrum like this. It was far worse than the times she expressed her anger. In the end, she was absolutely worried about her significant other.

Colombo held in a whine as he couldn't help but feel sorry for his owner yet again. He figured that licking his face wouldn't be the best thing to do since he was upset.

Madame Clairvoya remained seated as she despondently glanced at the mustached man. Likewise with Daisy, she never expected him to explode. She knew that Luigi was a kind, soft-spoken man with a heart of gold. But that heart mutated into a black hole full of hatred.

"Luigi?" Daisy spoke up again, cautiously approaching him. "Are you alright?"

Unable to lift his chin up, he lowered the brim of his hat to shield his shimmering eyes. Not only did he not have the courage to face his friends, he couldn't speak either.

Just when things couldn't get any more stressful, a shriek came from the Editing Room. Morty rushed out to rejoin Madame Clairvoya and the heroes.

"Goodness gracious! I was just about to look over the final edits of my movie to make sure everything was picture perfect. But then I just got attacked!" He showed off some holes in his dark blue sweater. "Even worse, the elevator button was snatched out of my possession!"

Before anyone could guess who assaulted the director, a new ghost emerged out in the Backstage. It was Polterkitty, snarling at the group as she was in her panther form. Her glowing, pink eyes were directed at Luigi again. When the plumber took a moment to barely glance up at the demonic feline, she pounced right towards him.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_At this point in the story, I only wrote the backstories of the ghosts that the heroes encountered thus far, except Morty. I'm saving him in the next chapter where he'll personally explain it to Luigi. Plus, his movie will be finished! Eventually, the new ghosts will be explained later, so don't think this is the last we'll see from Madame Clairvoya! But for Luigi... Oh, boy..._

_One important note I should mention is that I inferred that King Boo was trapped in a painting after Dark Moon. But according to E. Gadd's journal on the official LM3 website, he was inside the Boo Canister. Because of this fact, I re-edited a few parts from the previous chapters. Some more details from E. Gadd's journal are referenced in this chapter, too._

_It took a long time to write this out, mostly because I wanted to provide as much detail as I could without going too overboard. One piece of trivia to note is that Amadeus Wolfgeist's past is quite similar to the one whose name was based on: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The major disparity, however, is the age at which Wolfgeist died._

_I also gave first names to Officer Kruller, Dr. Potter, and Chef Soulfflé, the last of whom I named Bobby in association with Bobby Flay. I don't know him personally, and I may have heard some negative things about him, but I went with it since their last names sounded familiar. Plus, I couldn't use Gordon because Superfloxes already used that name in their LM3 rewrite. Speaking of which, since they also went with Paul Kruller, I chose the name Tom as a reference to Tom Wachowski, the sheriff from the Sonic movie. (I'm kind of disappointed with this.)_

_As for the remaining ghosts, I struggled with their backgrounds. (For example, King MacFrights.) Plus, the reason for Polterkitty's malicious behavior has been altered. But I did my best, okay? Hopefully, this chapter was intriguing to some extent. But it didn't really end on a good note, did it?_

_I know that I'm dragging this author's note for so long. But before I finish, I just want to say that I'm very grateful to all of you for reading this story. The cherry on top is reaching **100+ favorites**! Back when I wrote Hidden Bravery, I was happy to reach 100 reviews on a single fanfiction. But 100 favorites? I'm still stunned to this day! Thank you all for the support leading up to this chapter. Next stop, 100 followers (potentially). Until then, I'll see you guys next time on Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	22. Ch 21: Director's Hit

_A/N:__ In a way, this chapter will be a Part 4 of the Paranormal Productions as Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo are in another predicament with Polterkitty. Does that make up for the fact that I had to include the Garden Suites for three chapters? Probably not._

_But man, I am once again grateful to all of you because Hotel Horror has not only reached **100 favorites**, but also **100 followers**! Thank you all so much for your support! More thanks go out to StarlitDuck, dbot, Boid Man, Superfloxes, animegamefanatic, Tiger of Darkness, IanAlphaAxel, Oderus, Infinite's Ruby, FireFlamerx9z, Golden Eye, and Guest for their recent reviews! And one more shoutout to my friend, Crystal Rose of Pollux, for helping me with this chapter title!_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I don't own any rights to Luigi's Mansion or the Mario franchise._

* * *

**Chapter 21:** Director's Hit

Despite moving into Morty's Editing Room, Polterkitty heard Madame Clairvoya's description about herself. She reminisced how Hellen found her in that dark alleyway – cold, hungry, and glum. Most importantly, she was alone at the time. The moment that Hellen was loving enough to take care of her, Polterkitty thought for sure that she had a home and a benevolent owner. But since she freed King Boo from the professor's Ghost Container, it felt like she only existed for a single purpose nowadays.

...

_"You don't deserve to get any rest. Since he's clearly on his way to the movie studio, you're going to get a second chance to prevent that worrisome plumber from advancing. I cannot afford him to reach the top of my hotel. Because sooner or later, he's going to release **him**."_

...

The objective had been the same from the start: capture Luigi. However, many members of Hellen's staff have been detained, failing to complete her goal. Polterkitty was one of them, except she was still here. It was bad enough that her tails had to get sucked up. Luckily, in her ghost form, they grew back as if she was never harmed in the first place.

...

_"I want you to go back and hunt down Luigi until he cries 'Uncle'. Then, we'll enjoy a glamourous life with our beloved King Boo."_

...

Under one assumption, she hoped that bringing Luigi to her master would result in earning her affection like the old days. But she was also scared that she wouldn't live up to her end of the bargain. Unless there wasn't a deal to begin with. Was she adopted because Hellen adored her? Or was it because she wanted a close companion to be treated like a servant?

Even at this very second, Polterkitty didn't know whether or not Hellen loves her or not. If it was worth the risk, then she had no other choice.

"Ooh, yes! Everything is turning out to be perfect!" Morty shook his fists with glee. "I just need to finish editing the last few seconds, and then my film project will be complete!"

The director was so entranced that he didn't notice Polterkitty beneath the table. Spotting the glowing object within his dark blue sweater, the cat waited for the right opportunity to attack. Simultaneously, she barely heard Luigi ranting from outside the room. To be honest, Polterkitty had known about Luigi's personality, how he rarely held any grudges, nor does he scream indignantly at people. He was generally a considerate person, unlike her owner. Despite this, Polterkitty labeled him as a target. She _needed_ to win Hellen's love back.

"Hmm?" Morty paused from his work, hearing Luigi's yelling. "What's going on out there? Why is my lead actor suddenly filled with rage?"

This was the perfect timing for Polterkitty. As he faced the door, Polterkitty snarled and altered into her panther form, frightening the ghost while knocking over the editing machine.

"EEEK! Where did you come from?!"

"MROOOOW!"

Polterkitty extended her sharp claws at the director, tearing into the fabric. Morty tried to escape out the door, but she was quick enough to deny his exit. Back and forth, he tried to run away from the demon panther, using his chair as a small blockade. Polterkitty refused to step down as she grabbed ahold of his sweater again. As more holes were created, she found the elevator button and snatched it from his possession. Sneering in satisfaction, the cat swallowed it down her throat – déjà vu all over again.

Morty took this moment to rush out of his Editing Room, panting heavily as he encountered Luigi and the rest of the group.

"Goodness gracious! I was just about to look over the final edits of my movie to make sure everything was picture perfect. But then I just got attacked!"

"Dear heavens!" Madame Clairvoya gasped. "How did this happen?"

That was when Polterkitty bashed the door down and stood in front of the Backstage doors. Leaning back, her pink eyes were glued to the dejected plumber. She didn't give Luigi a chance to react as she ran straight at him.

Daisy saw the sign and swiftly pushed her partner out of the way. Clairvoya grabbed her crystal ball in time as Polterkitty destroyed the makeshift table. Morty started shivering while hiding behind the fortune-teller. Colombo gazed over at the feline, yapping furiously for harming the director and nearly killing his human.

"Oh, come on!" Daisy complained. "Haven't we already finished business with you?!"

Polterkitty softly growled as she glared at the princess and the plumber. With Luigi catching his breath, he got up and helped Daisy by pulling her hand. As he stood protectively in front of her, he gripped the flashlight and held down the Strobulb button. As he released the light, the cat screeched loudly. Luigi rushed over and got ahold of one of her new tails. Filling up the power gauge, he waited for a few seconds until he slammed her recurrently in between the televisions.

"MROW!"

"Were you aware that Hellen has ownership of _that_ creature?" Clairvoya whispered to Morty.

"No! Like I said, I was only given an interview from her, and she allowed me to direct my movies here! I had no knowledge of her raising an undomesticated beast!"

The plumber was successful to vacuum up one of the slender appendages. As Polterkitty returned to her normal self, she scurried off into the Fire Set. Removing his hat off his head, he fanned his face by waving it, creating a small breeze to cool off.

"Luigi?" Madame Clairvoya spoke up. "I don't think you've said a word since your... outburst. Are you alright, dear?"

Curling his fist with the other hand, he didn't reply to her immediately. He placed the green cap back on his head before taking a deep breath.

"Luigi?" Daisy was also concerned, hoping he would talk. Even Colombo stepped towards the man, whining softly. The eerie silence from him was drawing a strange essence that made everyone apprehensive.

Eventually, he shook his head. "I'll be fine," he bluntly stated. "Come on, we've got another elevator button to hunt down."

"Madame, Morty, you two can stay here. We'll take care of Polterkitty," Daisy told the ghosts.

"Just be wary of her claws! You don't want to suffer like I did!" Morty exclaimed.

"Yeah, we're aware of that, but thanks."

Luigi silently led the trio into Studio 3, keeping his eyes away from Colombo and Daisy. It still seemed unreal that the man threw a sudden tantrum in front of them not too long ago. Giving each other a glance, they silently agreed to give him some space. However, if Polterkitty was on the verge of attacking either one of them, then they planned to give a signal or cry for help.

At that moment, Luigi felt a rumble from behind. It was Gooigi, vibrating within the G-00's tank. He almost forgot that they haven't found the Boo in the movie studio yet. If it meant that he's close to both the Boo and Polterkitty, he expected to kill two birds with one stone.

"He's got to be close," he mumbled.

Daisy and Polterpup watched him head over to the farthest building on the right. Approaching the bicycle, there was a white blanket clumped up inside a basket. Tugging on a loose end with his Poltergust, Luigi pulled it off to reveal two ghosts. One of whom was a Gem Goob, a translucent, shiny version of the plain Goobs that he and his friends have faced. He started floating around in fear, running away from the plumber and the other entity.

"Ha ha ha!" the new Boo screeched out loud. "I'm the Booducer! If you think my name means that I enjoy debauchery, you're in the wrong fandom!"

"What is he talking about, and why do I feel violated for some reason?" Daisy gave the white ghost a strange look.

"I'm not going to answer either of those questions," murmured Luigi.

"You better write my name down, because you're going to mesmerize it in your heads! I can get a table anywhere I want! I expect first-class and top-notch service!"

"The only service you're getting is a tongue-pulling!" Daisy scowled as she shined the Dark-Light Device on the Booducer. He squealed in agony as the princess tugged as hard as she could.

Meanwhile, Luigi decided to take care of the Gem Goob who was still screaming around the City Set. What he didn't notice was a pair of eyes glaring at him from underneath a bench. As Luigi stunned the glistening ghoul, he slammed onto the concrete four times before he sucked him up inside. As a result, he received another gem shaped like a film tape, only this one was white. After keeping it in his pocket, he turned around to see Daisy smacking the Boo multiple times as gold coins spewed out.

"Reeee! I demand retribution!" Booducer complained. "How dare you maltreat me with pain and disrespect?!"

"I bet you haven't even produced a film! Heck, you probably never recorded an amateur student film in your life!" Daisy rebuked.

"Harsh!" he growled before turning invisible.

Colombo was already on the scent for the Boo, sniffing around the set. He did stop for a second when he felt a strange presence near the bench. Polterkitty snuck quietly by transporting through the building behind her. She _nearly_ got caught again. Thankfully for her, the Polterpup resumed his search for Booducer. Then, he started barking as he suspected the apartment on the left.

"You think you found him, boy?"

"Arf!"

Luigi shined his Dark-Light Device over in that direction and heard some whining. The Boo resurfaced and became frozen as he was exposed in front of the ghost hunters.

"Nice! Go get him, Luigi!" cheered Daisy.

Luigi narrowed his eyes as he started pulling on his tongue. Suddenly, before he could even slam the Boo, Polterkitty lunged out of the building. She didn't wait to be stunned by the Strobulb as she was already back in her panther form. The ferocious feline forced Luigi to remove the hose from the Boo's tongue as he got pinned onto the set.

Daisy gasped. "No!"

"Eyah!" he felt her sharp paws against his torso. Polterkitty lifted one in the air as she was about to lacerate the Italian plumber.

"Grrr! Ruff!" Polterpup refused to let her hurt his owner. He pushed the giant cat off of his body, causing both pets to tumble into the wall. Colombo quickly recovered and returned to Luigi who was slowly getting up.

Daisy hurried over to Booducer so he wouldn't disappear again. She barely got ahold of the tongue once more.

"Eeeeek! You again?! Haven't you done enough poor acting already?!"

"This isn't acting; this is taking action by getting you off the set! Hope you earn a raspberry for your poor producing skills!"

"Gah!" Booducer shrieked as he couldn't escape the slams. Seconds later, his entire body got trapped in the Poltergust 5000.

Daisy promptly checked on her partner. "Are you hurt, Weegie?"

"Thankfully, no. Colombo saved me," he patted the dog's head.

"Arf!"

"MROOOW!" Polterkitty sneered once more as she glared at the heroes. If it weren't for the energetic pooch, she would've had Luigi in her claws by now. She was about to lunge at Luigi again, but Daisy ran in front of him and flashed the Strobulb.

"Ha! Gotcha!"

The princess sucked on the second tail until her power gauge was full. Just like Booducer, Polterkitty failed to evade the chain of slams. She couldn't believe how the tomboy was that aggressive and technically skilled to stun her without even sneaking up on her target. Completely desperate, she found herself in the same situation as she was in the Garden Suites. Down to her final tail, the ghost cat went back to normal before rushing out of the set, returning to the Backstage.

Luigi took a moment to wipe the dust off his clothes. However, he noticed a few small tears on his overalls and part of his green shirt, directly on his chest.

"Oh, God..." Daisy breathed. "You're not bleeding again, are you?"

"Surprisingly, no. It wasn't as severe as the arrow since she didn't scrape me."

"That's good at least. But I swear, she was _this_ close to nearly getting you," she held her thumb and index finger close together. "I hate how almost every ghost is practically out for your blood."

"I mean, Hellen is already fuming mad if I had to guess. She's basically number one on that list."

"You're telling me that King Boo's not at the top?"

Luigi blankly stared at her, causing Daisy to smirk. "Okay, I stand corrected. King Boo is number one, and Hellen is number two. Thanks for reminding me," he rolled his eyes.

"AHHH!" they suddenly heard Morty scream.

"Let's hurry!" urged Daisy. Luigi and Colombo nodded as they all exited the set through the television.

As they warped to the Backstage, the first thing they saw was Madame Clairvoya and Morty hiding behind the director's chair. Then, they heard some creaking from above. As they peeked up, their eyes bulged when they spotted Polterkitty dangling on top of the grated supports near the ceiling. At any point, the cat could jump down and pounce on either the ghosts or the heroes.

"How are we going to reach her now?" Luigi slouched his shoulders.

"There has to be a way to get up there," Daisy thought.

"Maybe you can use that hydraulic lift in the back corner," Madame Clairvoya suggested, pointing behind the ghost hunters.

"If you choose to catch that freaky kitten from up there, do be careful! I don't want the supports to fall onto the Backstage!" warned Morty.

"We'll be careful. Daisy, can you bring me up there?"

"Absolutely!"

Luigi climbed onto the lift while Daisy used her Poltergust to blow the wheel. As it stretched upward, Luigi was aligned with the supports and carefully stepped on it. The whole thing started to shake slightly. Morty and Clairvoya tried to conceal their anxiety, yet they couldn't help but worry. Daisy inhaled a deep breath, praying that her man would be safe. As the mustached man shuffled closer to the cat, Polterkitty hissed before running around to a safer spot that was far away from him. Sighing to himself, Luigi sped up to catch up to her. Since Polterkitty didn't stop sprinting, he went for a different tactic.

Turning around, he waited to hear Polterkitty's footsteps getting closer to him. Daisy, Colombo, Morty, and Clairvoya had no idea what he was doing. As the cat was just a few feet away, he rotated as fast as possible and pressed the button on his flashlight. The Strobulb dazed her, forcing her to transform once again. The grating shook violently to the point where Luigi lost his balance. He couldn't keep his feet steady as he fell down.

"WAAH!"

"Luigi!" Daisy scampered over and caught him in her arms.

"Oh, Mamma Mia... _Grazie_," he replied.

"Anything for you," she gently set him down.

Both of them immediately jumped a little when they heard Polterkitty land beside them. With another loud hiss, she extended her claw out at the green-clad hero. Once again, Luigi found himself on the floor with the panther pressing her paws aggressively against his sternum. He could've sworn he felt one his ribs cracking. When Daisy and Colombo tried to interfere, Polterkitty swiped her other claw towards them, forcing them to fall backward.

As Luigi struggled to breathe, his eyes were locked onto the purple pendant around her neck. He recalled Madame explaining about the gem granting her the ability to transform into the monster she was now. At this point, sucking up her final tail became irrelevant if she kept up with this game. His new objective was to annihilate the jewel.

"D-Daisy..." he choked. "Grab her t-tail, but d-don't... remove it..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hold her... for as long as possible..."

"Luigi, I don't-"

"Just d-do it!" he pleaded.

The princess was still perplexed yet frightened that her partner was going to suffocate. She cautiously snuck behind the cat as swiftly as possible. Polterkitty barely shifted her head to the side as she noticed Daisy reaching her backside. Raising her other claw at her, the tomboy managed to flash the Strobulb in time. A quick screech was all she needed to hear as she tugged onto the fluffy tail. Daisy resisted the urge to slam her as she waited for Luigi's next move.

"Come on, Luigi! I don't know how long I can keep her steady!"

His hand reached out towards the necklace, and he snatched it off Polterkitty. The cat realized what he just did before he rolled away and sprinted over to Morty and Clairvoya. Narrowing her pink eyes, she roughly escaped from the Poltergust 5000, nearly causing Daisy to trip.

"Luigi, look out!" Madame shouted.

"Oh, this is far more frightening than what I had envisioned in the Horror Set! Except, this is too _real_!" Morty cowered, shielding his face with his hands and arms.

Luigi came to a halt and threw the gem onto the floor. A large crack split down the middle, but it wasn't entirely destroyed. However, Polterkitty froze as she felt an odd sensation in her body. The plumber didn't stop from there as he stomped his boot repetitively, crushing it into pieces. All that was left were tiny glass shards, lacking the purple glow.

Then, everyone turned their attention to Polterkitty who started to writhe in pain. What was unraveling in front of him made Luigi feel awful. He was indirectly harming her after he and Daisy committed physical torment not too long ago. A couple of strained meows didn't make things any better. Seconds later, Polterkitty reverted to her regular appearance again, but for good. She began to hack, eventually coughing up the button that Morty once held. Afterward, she fell straight to the ground as she lost all of her energy. Luigi ambled over to pick up the shining object.

"Is it over? Did that beast go away?" Morty peeked over Clairvoya's shoulder.

"I presume she's no longer able to become a dangerous threat now. She's still breathing, so we'll need to keep a close eye on her in case she causes more mayhem," the fortune-teller directed.

Out of all people, Daisy was the one to approach the purple cat, her lonely tail completely limp. She even carried the exhausted animal into her hands. Colombo got close enough, sniffing for inspection. No doubt about it, she was unconscious at the moment. But as Clairvoya implied, they had no clue if she'll commence another rampage.

However, Polterkitty's facial expression looked as if she wasn't repulsed or irritable. It was rather... miserable.

"What do you think we should do with her, Luigi?" Daisy furrowed her eyebrows.

Placing a hand under his chin and shutting his eyes, he thought long and diligently. The end goal was to find his friends and escape this haunted resort. Yet evil entities like Polterkitty were going to be the main obstacles that'll slow his progress down. He wasn't fond of the fact that Hellen's pet cat nearly injured or killed him on multiple occasions.

Then again, Luigi didn't seek retribution in the first place. He had to defend himself, as well as Daisy and Colombo, against every ghost that turned against or targeted him. The man still felt guilty for inducing cruel acts to an animal like her, regardless of her evil intentions.

"We'll follow Madame's advice and keep a sharp eye on her. Maybe we'll put her in the Ghost Container for safety measures. Or maybe not."

"Maybe not?" Morty raised an eyebrow.

"It's kind of like me catching Polterpup back in Evershade Valley. The first two times I caught him, he ended up escaping the Poltergust 5000. It wasn't until the third time that he was successfully trapped in the canister since the professor worked out the kinks." After briefly mentioning E. Gadd, Luigi paused as a sense of hatred flooded his bloodstream again. He quickly got back on topic. "Although he had to be imprisoned, I wasn't the biggest fan of it. Polterpup never meant any harm in the first place; he was just too frisky and playful as he stole some valuable objects."

"So, how do you justify the case for Polterkitty? Again, I don't know too much about her, hence why I just recently found out that Hellen owns her. For everything that has been accounted for, Polterkitty is far more lethal than your helpful pooch."

"True, but she's still an animal. I already know that I'm contradicting myself, but... I don't know. Bad case scenario, she'll definitely attack me again. The thing is, I have this inkling that if she returns to Hellen, there could be worse consequences that I can't even explain."

"At the very least, we should take her to the portable lab," Daisy concluded.

"I would second that. To reiterate, it's important to make sure she doesn't run amuck and induce more chaos," Madame concurred.

"Hold on!" Morty held his hands up. "Before you go, I'm almost done with my movie! Can you at least stay until I get the last couple of touches?"

"I mean, we already agreed to see the final product. We can stay for longer," nodded Daisy.

_"At least I won't get to see the professor any time soon. I'm not ready to talk to him yet,"_ Luigi muttered in his thoughts, his eyes gazing at the dispersed remnants of the Virtual Boo.

* * *

Morty gathered everyone into his Editing Room as they stared at the projection screen from his machine. While Luigi, Daisy, Colombo, and Madame Clairvoya stood a reasonable distance away, they left Polterkitty lying on a crude bed of film scripts. The director was making his final preparations before he spun around in excitement.

"Oh ho, at last! My masterpiece is complete! Starring none other than my trio of ghost-hunting stars, this movie is filled with gripping action, dripping with emotion... Oh, and the suspense! You can't forget about the suspense as it was arguably the main takeaway! If this project is not the very definition of true art, I do not know what is! Are you all ready?"

"Sure am, Mr. Director!" Daisy beamed.

"It's about time we get to see the true talent that you have in your movie and editing skills, Morty," Clairvoya giggled.

Luigi set his negative thoughts aside as he was also enthusiastic to see his creation. He glanced at Colombo, who responded with two eager barks. As the plumber grabbed a handful of popcorn from a bag on the table, Morty started the movie.

As the countdown reached zero, the movie transitioned to a view of the crescent moon, gleaming atop of the city with scattered clouds. The aesthetic of black and white colors made it feel quite mysterious and unnerving for the audience to find out how the plot pans out. Of course, the current spectators already know much about the fight sequence, but they remained quiet as the camera shifted down to the city streets before fading away. Dramatic music played in the background. Clairvoya was quite impressed with the score so far. The film quickly transitioned to the close-up of Luigi's lower half before a car bumped into his shoe.

_"Oops, sorry!"_ Luigi spoke.

Daisy giggled. "I completely forgot that was a thing."

Luigi blushed with a small grin before turning his attention back to the screen. As the camera zoomed up to his stuttering face, that was when he heard a loud shriek in the distance.

_"Huh?"_

_"What was that?"_ Daisy asked.

_"Arf!"_ Colombo spotted the culprit. The camera panned over to the west, exhibiting the kaiju monster rampaging through the city and destroying the nearby buildings.

_"NOOOOOOO!"_ Luigi screamed, completely terrified.

_"C'mon Luigi! We've got to stop that monster from destroying the city!"_ Daisy went into action.

_"Ruff! Ruff!"_ Colombo followed her.

The next scene featured the monster destroying more buildings and ruining the flow of traffic. Then, Luigi got burned in the chest by a blue fireball. As Daisy went over to help him recover, they tried to figure out a plan on how to stop the monster.

_"Maybe we can try to blow on the fireball as a counterattack,"_ the tomboy suggested.

_"That's not a bad idea. Let's do it!"_

For a few minutes, the humans used their Poltergust vacuums to release air towards the blazing orb, overpowering the dragon's breath. The creature fell back onto the street as the heroes celebrated temporarily. Then, the heroes watched the kaiju recover as he spewed more fireballs from his mouth. It cut to Luigi getting burned again, yet he remained valiant. Colombo got a piece of the action when he pounced on the monster's chest.

Outside of the movie, the Polterpup yapped happily at his dramatic entrance.

"That was a terrific move, if I say so myself," Morty whispered to him. "I just had to get the right angles for your wondrous attack."

"Arf!" Colombo felt appreciated, giving the ghost a lick on the cheek.

"Ho ho ho! Let's return to the movie, shall we?"

The group witnessed Daisy and Luigi blowing another flame at the monster as the city folk started screaming at the giants going head-to-head. Of course, there weren't any people or models in the City Set. Morty edited background sounds for that extra flair, escalating the drama.

After the monster was hit a second time and started glowing ominously, the heroes had to dodge a flurry of flames. Then, the scene shifted to Colombo immobilizing the dragon by biting his tail. As he screeched loudly, he released another large fireball straight at Luigi. In slow motion, it was all eyes on Luigi as he leaned back as far as he could, evading the flame as it barely missed the edge of his nose.

"What a fantastic shot," Daisy marveled.

"And a close call for me," Luigi let out a soft chuckle.

"We're getting close to the finale!" Morty had a toothy grin on his face.

Daisy was busy jumping over shockwaves while Luigi ran to her side to send a gust of air at another huge fireball.

_"L-Luigi! He's somehow stronger this time!"_

_"I-I know! But this is as hard as we can blow air onto it!"_

_"Luigi!"_ E. Gadd's voice rang. _"You're going to need some extra Poltergust power! Gooigi will have to be your savior again!"_

_"Three heads are better than two."_

_"Ruff!"_

_"Sorry! Four heads are better than three!"_

The scaly creature didn't show any signs of surrendering despite being weakened. However, the heroes fought tooth and nail as they persevered against the monster's breath.

_"C'mon! We're almost there!"_ Daisy shouted.

In the end, the monster couldn't overcome the quartet of Luigi, Gooigi, Daisy, and Polterpup. The green plumber screamed out loud as he and the others sent the fireball back at him. As dust and ash scattered across the city, the monster bounced on the streets before landing near the river. The movie faded away before the Blue Blaze appeared, and the next shot was Luigi and Daisy giving each other high-fives. Meanwhile, Colombo backflipped in joy while Gooigi unconsciously raised a thumbs-up in the back of the frame. A victorious fanfare played in the background as the heroes won the fight. The word _'Fin'_ was centered on the transition card before the film machine stopped playing.

Morty turned on the lights and faced his audience. Although he was personally proud of his work, he was anxious to hear their reactions.

"Well," he twiddled his fingers, "how was it?"

The blue director was met with a round of applause and a few barks.

"Bravo! The editing and framing were top-notch!" Daisy commended.

"I also love your choice of music and sounds to make the scenes epic to watch," said Madame Clairvoya.

"They pretty much took the words right out of my mouth," Luigi smiled. "It was fantastic!"

"Bark! Bark!" Colombo panted. Even with all the noise going on, Polterkitty remained unconscious.

"Oh!" Morty quickly wiped a stray tear of joy from his eye. "Thank you! Thank you all! I can't wait to present this to everyone else! Maybe someday, I'll gain more recognition for my movie magic! I can't thank you all enough once again!"

"It's our pleasure, Morty," Luigi generously replied.

"Now, I am aware that you have captured the other ghosts in this hotel from the levels below. So, if you want, I'm perfectly okay with you sucking me up in your valuable vacuum! My work here is done, and that's all I wanted."

Luigi already made up his mind before Morty mentioned that. "No, I can't do that. To be honest, I was a bit scared about what you planned to do with me a while ago. But that's irrelevant now. Like Madame Clairvoya, you were very nice to me. You're definitely not like the others who have tried to hurt me or take me to Hellen and King Boo. The least I could do is let you stay in the hotel and produce more movies."

"You really mean it?"

"Absolutely."

"Oh, no wonder Madame Clairvoya said you had a noble heart or something among those words. And you're trying to rescue your brother and friends, correct? Well, despite Hellen allowing me to use this floor for my passion, I'm not the biggest fan of hearing that she's in an alliance with that notorious ghost king. To that, I say, I wish you all the best of luck!"

"Thanks, Morty! We really appreciate it!"

"Hey, one more thing before we leave," Daisy disrupted.

"Anything for my lead actors!"

"Madame Clairvoya never got a chance to explain your backstory. Would you mind telling it from your perspective?"

"Hmm... I guess I don't mind at all."

"Go right ahead, dear," Clairvoya gave a nod at him.

Morty got himself comfortable in his chair as the heroes gazed at him curiously. "So, you obviously know about my red megaphone," he held it in front of them. "As a kid, I just became fascinated with movies that I always wanted to know what it's like to produce one. On some occasions, I pretended that I was a film director, playing with my stuffed toys as they were the 'actors'. On my tenth birthday, I received this megaphone as a present from my parents, and I've treasured it ever since. As I grew up, I went to film school, learning about what it's like to create movies and stuff like that. After years of hard work and personal time, my goal was to create tons of spectacular movies. I wanted to entertain a large audience all across the Mushroom Kingdom! But... things didn't exactly turn out so well."

"How come?" Daisy frowned.

A deep sigh escaped Morty's lips. "The movie that you participated in was the main setup on my first project. As I hired a staff to help produce my film, some of the actors and crew came up to me, saying that they were skeptical of my work. They thought the concept was somewhat clichéd or that it wouldn't spark originality. I was a bit hurt by their words, but I let it fuel my motivation where I wanted to prove them wrong!"

"Then what happened?" Luigi raised an eyebrow.

Morty sighed once more. "Most of the actors backed out of the casting, and some staff members got sick that I was shorthanded. Plus, I was running the film on a strict budget, and it... kinda fell apart from there."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's not your fault. I was just too hasty to achieve my dreams, you know? Because of this, I stepped away from movies to give myself a mental break. Eventually, I made a comeback, earning a job as a screenwriter. I was in charge of creating original characters, dialogue scripts, that sort of mumbo jumbo. That's when I started to take off, earning awards and praise for my plot development on television sitcoms and live-action plays. But again, my dreams of becoming a movie director were lingering in the back of my mind... So, I pursued my passion once more."

"Interesting," the princess was captivated. "It does sound nice how you earned some achievements though!"

"Thank you! Anyway, back to my dreams, I saved up a great investment to finally shoot the kaiju movie. I also hired a new crew of actors and helpers to finally get it rolling. I was so eager to get started! I even called my parents to see what it's like behind the scenes. Unfortunately," Morty's expression became crestfallen, "accidents do happen on the set. Some of which could be minor or accidental... or even fatal."

Luigi felt a lump in his throat. "W-What happened?" he stuttered.

Morty's eyes faced the ground, barely catching a glance at Colombo's curious yet anxious face. He eventually looked up at the heroes. "An unexpected earthquake shook the entire set. We had to take cover for our own safety. I hid underneath a table. Debris and other things started to fall and break. But one of the large spotlights above became loose and fell directly above my head. I didn't test to see if the table was sturdy enough for protection."

Everyone's eyes bulged. They were left speechless for a solid minute.

"Gosh..." Luigi broke the silence, slouching his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Morty."

"Yes, it is a shame. Thirty years of living, and I never got to fully experience my dream. I don't even know how my parents are faring after the tragedy. But I never crossed over to the afterlife; I became a ghost so that I could have another opportunity, even if it sounds implausible. That's when I ran into Hellen Gravely. Again, I was unaware of her scheme, but she asked me what my hobbies and interests are. After explaining everything, she was grateful to construct a movie studio on this floor right here. Since then, I wanted to set up more films other than the one that I just directed. Then, I found out that I misplaced my megaphone, Madame Clairvoya discovered me around that time, and well, the rest is history."

His face quickly changed from bittersweet to ecstatic.

"That's when you guys came here! It's like I was truly given a second chance! Although I was back to a one-man operating crew, I didn't let that dissuade my ambitions! It's like you three brought me back to life – metaphorically, of course!"

Morty pulled Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo in his arms, surprising the humans.

"Thank you! Thank you so much! I keep repeating it, but I don't care!"

"Heh heh, you're welcome," Luigi returned the hug.

"I'm glad we were about to work it out!" Daisy replied.

"Arf!" Colombo gave the director another lick.

"Ho ho ho! Well then, I don't want to keep you any longer if you're off saving your pals! Now that I think about it, that could be a nice plot for a new movie. A plumber, his princess, and his spectral puppy – exploring the heights of a haunted resort owned by a mysterious figure who is working with a famous foe... And I know the perfect title for it! _Hotel Horror_!"

"There goes Morty with his explosive creativity again," Madame Clairvoya laughed.

"Well, I hope that goes well for you," Daisy also giggled. "It was really nice to meet both of you. You've definitely convinced me that not all ghosts are evil and rude. You're both the antithesis of it!"

"And it was an honor to meet you, Your Majesty," the fortune-teller responded. "For you, Luigi, I'm pleased that our paths crossed again."

"Same here, Madame."

"Ruff!"

Daisy went over to carry the sleeping cat. "I guess we better head back to the lab and see what we'll do with her."

"Take care now! And good luck!" shouted Morty. Clairvoya waved her fingers as her gesture of saying good-bye.

Leaving the pair of ghosts in the Editing Room, the heroes strolled all the way to the elevator. As they entered, Luigi took out the new button they got from Polterkitty, engraved with a **'9'**. Although the new floor on the map emerged on the screen, Daisy pressed **'B1'**. They were off to see Professor E. Gadd first, something that Luigi was dreading for the longest time.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Talk about being slow with updates, huh? Sorry for the delay, but August had been busy for me. Not only did I have to work a lot, I was studying for my online final exam for my summer class. **Then**, I had to register for my online fall class that I'm taking now. I also wanted to update New Brotherhood, which I did earlier this month. So yeah, my hands have been tied to writing frequently._

_Nonetheless, I appreciate your patience, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Writing out Morty and Madame Clairvoya has been a blast, in my opinion. I don't think I'll have as much excitement writing out the other ghosts than these two. Still, I want to get this done, no matter how long that'll take!_

_Not only that, Polterkitty wasn't sucked up in the Poltergust G-00 or 5000, nor did she escape. Instead, she'll be around for a particular reason. The only concern is keeping it different from what Superfloxes has for their LM3 rewrite since they're **way** ahead of me based on levels. (Still a good read, if you haven't checked it out yet.) Either way, Hellen is not going to be happy about it!_

_As always, be sure to leave a favorite/follow for future chapters, review down below for your thoughts, or if I made any errors, and I'll see you next time in Ch. 22 when Luigi faces not just the bosses of Floor 9, but also the one who has helped him since the first Luigi's Mansion adventure. This is TGN, signing off._


	23. Ch 22: Unnaturally Possessed

_A/N:__ AAAAHHHH! THEY'RE RELEASING SUPER MARIO 3D ALL-STARS COLLECTION OF 64, SUNSHINE, AND GALAXY! I'M SO ECSTATIC, BABY!_

_But in all seriousness, I'm so happy that Nintendo revealed this to the world alongside some other announcements, despite how impatient we all are, lol. I'm psyched about it, and I hope you are, too!_

_As for this story, I really don't have much else to say other than thanks to Superfloxes, FireFlamerx7z, StarlitDuck, Golden Eye, Tiger of Darkness, Oderus, IanAlphaAxel, Canine warrior, Q, and Alex Wells for their recent reviews! Plus, thank you LiamTheYoshi for the favorite and follow!_

_As I hinted earlier, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo have some unfinished business with Polterkitty as she's still unconscious after her crystal broke. As they return to E. Gadd's lab, the plumber and the professor face each other after their fight..._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own any rights to the Luigi's Mansion series or the Mario franchise. This rewrite is pretty much here for entertainment purposes._

* * *

**Chapter 22:** Unnaturally Possessed

_Location: B1 – Basement_

All alone in his portable laboratory, E. Gadd sat quietly in his high chair, his stomach churning. He had lost communication with Luigi from the Virtual Boo. After revealing that he had willingly brought King Boo over to The Last Resort, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Luigi unexpectedly became furious and chastised him for being impetuous. Since then, the professor had never felt more guilty in his life.

He never meant to throw Luigi into a dangerous situation like this. Granted, he did go against his will by pixelating him through his television, transporting the plumber to Evershade Valley to help restore the Dark Moon. But in this scenario, it felt like déjà vu, only Mario isn't the only one in peril. To say the least, E. Gadd was scared. He was unsure if Luigi would ever forgive him.

Then, the old scientist heard the electronic door open and sucked in a deep breath. Swiveling around to face the visitor, he felt both relieved and upset at the same time. It was only Red Toad, returning to the lab after using the bathroom.

"Whew, I needed that. I wished this hotel had a lavatory down here though. Otherwise, I wouldn't have to use the elevator and rush over to the Mezzanine!"

"Yeah, that's true," E. Gadd forced himself into the conversation.

Red noticed the tone in his voice. It was quite odd to hear him like this. "Professor, Luigi can't be mad at you forever. Although you made a poor decision that led up to this, I don't think he'll hold it against you."

"But what he said was true," he admitted. "If I would've known that Hellen set up this trap, I wouldn't have brought King Boo over."

He slipped off his chair and went over to his coffee machine, brewing a mug of his signature Teeheespresso. Sipping the piping hot beverage, most of his nerves calmed down.

"Ahh, that hit the spot."

"I just want to say this, Professor," Red disrupted. "You may know Luigi a whole lot more than I do, yet I can confidently say that he probably feels just as bad when he yelled at you. He doesn't really like to be mean to others. It's not like he has a temper, but he's also not afraid to express his feelings. At the end of the day, whenever he gets mad at someone, he feels upset about treating someone like that. Chances are that he'll make up with you."

A deep sigh escaped the scientist's lips. "If you say so, then I'll take your word for it. I just don't want to make our fallout even worse."

"You got this, Professor. Just talk to him in private. You both need this."

"Thanks. I appreciate it," he showed a small smile.

Once again, the door opened up, this time revealing the trio of heroes who have returned from the Paranormal Productions. Daisy was the first to enter while holding Polterkitty in her arms. Colombo happily walked in behind her. Luigi was the last one as he stopped in his tracks, glancing over at E. Gadd. As they locked eyes on each other, the mustached man didn't have contempt written on his face. Instead, he was nervous. Unbeknownst to Luigi, the professor mirrored his expression from beneath his glasses.

Suddenly, they blurted simultaneously, "I'm sorry."

Luigi's eyes blinked as he exhaled a shaky breath. "Uh... I need to talk to you, Professor."

"Same here, young lad. Let's take this outside."

"Right," he concurred. "Daisy, Colombo, do you mind?"

"Not at all. I'm gonna deposit the ghosts from my vacuum," the princess responded.

As Luigi and E. Gadd stepped out of the lab momentarily, they faced each other in the dim garage. The two stood in awkward silence for a short while before the professor broke the silence.

"So..." he scratched the back of his head. "You must be upset for what I did, and I don't blame you if you still feel that way, sonny. I should've thought that Hellen's invitation seemed sketchy, especially when she asked to see King Boo from the Ghost Container. Of course, my interests in ghosts and paranormal activity got the best of me. I'm very sorry for doing this to you, Luigi," he bowed his head in shame.

Another round of silence fell in between them. Eventually, the man in green spoke up.

"Professor?" His head shifted upward to face him. "While I was not happy when I heard that you got manipulated, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I lost control, and I smashed the Virtual Boo out of anger. What I did was immature back then. I'm sorry for acting like that in front of you."

"You've got nothing to apologize for, my boy," E. Gadd wiped a tear away. "I've been relying on you to catch ghosts very heavily since I'm not as agile and quick like you are today. All I've done is put this much pressure on you, especially since your brother has been kidnapped thrice by King Boo. It must be traumatic for you to go through this ghastly experience."

"Well, yes and no." His answer piqued the elderly man. "If I didn't run into you in the first mansion, I would've lost Mario forever. You taught me the basics of how to catch ghosts. Despite my constant anxiety, you supported me from the beginning that I would overcome my fear. I did it not just once, but twice. You were always there for me whenever I needed company or a shoulder to lean on so that I wasn't truly alone. It helped me grow as a person. Although I'm still afraid of ghosts and other things, I'm not the same, scared plumber that I was. Whenever my friends are in trouble, I have this mentality that I need to help them first before I could help myself. Thankfully, I rescued you, Daisy, and Red Toad. As long as I can find the others, then I'll be okay, no matter how traumatic this will affect me."

Touched by his speech, E. Gadd couldn't be any prouder for his friend. He walked up to him and patted his shoulder.

"You're a true hero, Luigi. Not only that, you're a selfless, noble man. I forgive you."

"And I forgive you, too."

"Come on. Let me brew you another cup of coffee."

"Heh heh, I never get tired of your famous brews, Professor."

As they returned, they noticed Daisy, Colombo, and Red Toad resting on the inflatable sofa. In the middle of all of them was Polterkitty. At first glance, E. Gadd was bewildered why she was here.

"Goodness, isn't that the demon kitty that you had to chase in the Garden Suites?"

"Yeah, and we just faced her again back at the Paranormal Productions," answered Daisy.

"Really? That's quite surprising that she would ambush you on back-to-back levels. So, why is she here suddenly?"

"We just Madame Clairvoya on that floor, and she explained a lot about Polterkitty and the crystal pendant that she was wearing. Apparently, it allows her to transform into a panther at any given time, not just when we flash the Strobulb on her," explained Luigi.

"Intriguing," E. Gadd placed a finger on his chin. "It's also been a while since I've seen the fortune-teller. How is she, by the way?"

"Great. She's still friendly and cooperative to all of us as we learned a lot about the ghosts Hellen hired to guard the elevator buttons. Even the other ghost, Morty, was kind as well. We helped him film a movie of his."

"Yes, I do recall that! That was a wonderful act by you three! Anyway, how did you handle Polterkitty this time?"

"Well, she nearly scratched me with her claws. However, thanks to Daisy, she held her in place while I was able to steal the crystal away and smashed it into fragments. Polterkitty was in pain as she reverted to her normal self, which is why she's unconscious at the moment."

"Hmm... I see. This is quite an interesting animal, I have to say."

"Ruff!"

"Oh, Colombo, you know that you're interesting in your way. Heck, you've helped Luigi out a whole lot in this journey."

That made the Polterpup very appreciative as he wagged his tail.

"All I'm saying is that I've never seen a ghost cat like this one. It's quite a shame how she was raised this way because of Hellen. If she was given a lot of love and care, she probably wouldn't be ferocious to deal with."

"You got that right. I adore cats as much as any other animal! I just don't like how this one tried to nearly kill us multiple times," said Daisy.

"I'm just glad you all made it out alive!" exclaimed Red.

"We were debating on whether or not she should be kept in the Ghost Container with the others. Then again, we weren't so sure since it would be mean just like when we had to keep Polterpup in there," stated Luigi.

"Ah, so that's why you're at an impasse on what to do with her," deduced the professor.

"You literally just read our minds."

Examining the purple cat up close, E. Gadd softly caressed her translucent fur. Although Polterkitty didn't entirely stir or react to the touch, her whiskers slightly fluttered.

"I might want to take a good look at her and give her some proper treatment."

"What do you mean by that?" Toad wondered.

"Maybe give her a warm bowl of milk and some companionship. We can also provide her with a warm bed to rest on. I'll need some assistance to supervise her."

"Umm... I don't know if I want to be close to that creature. After all, I'm not very comfortable around cats. In fact, I'm allergic to them!"

"You haven't shown any signs of allergies," Daisy raised an eyebrow at him.

"Uhh... ACHOO! Oh, boy! There it is!" Toad feigned sickness.

"Ugh..." she rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll stay here and help you, Professor."

"Are you sure about that, Daisy?" Luigi tilted his head. "You're still doing a fantastic job catching ghosts alongside me."

"Thanks, Luigi. But remember what we all agreed upon earlier? We should keep a keen eye on her at all times. Granted, E. Gadd is here. And Red-"

"Nope! Sorry! I can't help! I, uh... forgot something in my suite! I'll be right back whenever!" the Toad chickened out as he fled the laboratory.

A scoff came from the tomboy. "I just don't understand him. Regardless, since we're aware of what Polterkitty is capable of, it's probably for the best that one of us should also look after her. Besides, I'm still a little exhausted from our last session of ghost hunting. I could honestly use another break."

Luigi contemplated for a while. Back then, he was very skeptical and worried that the ghosts would put Daisy in trouble. But after coming clean with her in Castle MacFrights, he trusted the princess with all of his heart. In this case, she was open to stay behind and watch Polterkitty for the time being instead of catching ghosts. Since he still had faith in her words, he accepted her decision.

"Okay. If you want to stay, then I won't go against it. Colombo, are you still up for another floor?"

"Ruff! Ruff!"

"Heh, I thought so! First, let me empty my vacuum. I still have Dr. Potter inside, so I better transfer him and everyone else we've caught into the vault."

"Good idea," Daisy nodded.

Once he finished, Luigi turned around to see E. Gadd holding a cup of coffee for him. The plumber smiled as he graciously took it from his hands.

"Ah, the sweet taste of Hoolumbian. You never fail to satisfy my taste buds, Professor."

"Ho ho ho! Glad it still tastes good! Now before you head out again, I should give you another communication device in case I need to contact you."

"Oh, right," Luigi's cheeks blushed. "I'm sorry again for destroying your Virtual Boo."

"Not to worry, lad! For I, Professor Elvin Gadd, always come in handy for inventions and knickknacks! That's because I mass-produced extras in case one might break!"

In just two seconds, he pulled out a second Virtual Boo from beneath his desk.

"Golly, you really _are_ handy with this stuff. Maybe I should shatter this and get another one," Luigi joked.

"Yeah, I prefer if you don't," he frowned. "To be frank, that's my only spare Virtual Boo at the moment. Nevertheless, I will link it up to the elevator tracker and our entire communication system so that we'll still stay in touch."

"Okay," he placed the Virtual Boo in his pocket. "I think we're ready now."

"Arf!"

"Good luck on the next floor, Luigi. You got this in the bag like you always do," Daisy went over and pecked his cheek.

Luigi's face flushed once more as he scratched the back of his hair. "Th-thanks," he mumbled, eliciting a giggle from his special one. He and his pet exited the lab, on pace to their next stop in The Last Resort.

* * *

_Location: 9F – Unnatural History Museum_

"I didn't get a chance to see what the tracker said when the elevator button was placed in the panel. Let's see," Luigi gazed over at the screen. "The Unnatural History Museum. Interesting. I wonder what we'll discover there."

"Arf!" Colombo barked in anticipation.

A fossil bone moved over to the eleventh tick mark above the elevator. As the doors opened, Luigi and Colombo initially noticed a pair of pink plants on both sides of the lobby. Above them, the man shined his flashlight at a hanging pterodactyl fossil. Several feet in front of them was a service desk, currently occupied by a murder of crows. A few 'caws' from them slightly spooked Luigi, but he simply ignored the birds in case they tried to peck his nose or anything worse.

With the second Virtual Boo, he put on the goggles and inspected the map. The lobby was shaped in a rectangle which led to a large room up north. There wasn't much ground to cover, so he had a feeling that this won't take as long or as perilous as any of the previous three floors. Then again, Paranormal Productions wasn't truly terrifying after he met Morty and Madame Clairvoya. For Luigi, all he hoped was that this place wouldn't be as fear-provoking as Castle MacFrights or the Garden Suites.

"We might as well check around the lobby first before we'll head up to the Exhibit Hall. Does that sound like a plan?"

"Ruff!"

The two slowly strolled around, gazing at the fossil displays and glass cases spread throughout the museum's opening. During their search, Luigi found a hidden floor mechanism by swiveling the office chair behind the desk. As a secret panel flipped over, the crows flapped away as a treasure chest was revealed. Some gold coins and a red gem flew out. The jewel was shaped like a dinosaur's foot.

"Ooh, shiny!"

There weren't any significant spots to search for the next button, so the duo decided to enter the humongous Exhibit Hall. It was blocked by a large, red tapestry that, for some reason, was too difficult to pull apart by hand. When Colombo noticed two long ropes dangling from either side, he signaled to Luigi to bring out his doppelganger.

"That's a good idea! If Daisy were here, she would help. But since she's helping the professor look after Polterkitty, it's time to bring out Gooigi!"

Momentarily, the plumber fell asleep as he transferred his conscience to the gooey man. He strolled over to the rope on the left and pulled on it tightly. Luigi regained control as he grabbed on the far-right. They both tugged together to open up the tapestry. From afar, they were amazed at the large Tyrannosaurus skeleton that stood near the back. Suddenly, the sound of thunder boomed from outside the windows. Lightning lit up the room for a while.

"Oh, boy. It must be stormy outside right now. Although it may be very late, I'm not tired just yet."

Neither was Polterpup as he was full of energy. "Ruff!"

Gooigi was back in the G-00's container as they trekked towards the T-Rex. But that wasn't the only thing in the Exhibit Hall. A skeleton of a Stegosaurus and a pair of Raptors both stood tall near the entrance. Around the border were more artifacts, eggs, fossils, and even a strange block of ice behind the elongated railing. They were entranced by the paleontology displays that they didn't notice a lonely ghost floating in the center of the gallery. It was a teal-skinned ghoul with a mustache, a beard, and white hair. His attire consisted of a green overcoat with a red and yellow-striped shirt and a red beret. In his hands were a paintbrush and his palette as he was busy painting something on a canvas.

Luigi froze from his spot as he recognized the ghost. "Vincent Van Gore..."

The artist flinched as he heard his name spoken softly. Rotating around, he was aghast to see the man in green in front of him.

"Vat eez zis? You again, you filthy swine?!" Van Gore scowled. "Vat exactly are you doing here?!"

"U-Uh..." Luigi hesitated.

Colombo got in front of his human and barked twice at the painter.

"Ugh! Back off, pooch! I don't need to waste my business with you!"

The Polterpup took offense as he growled with his teeth showing.

"I remember you, mustache man. You had to get in zee way and ruin my valuable ghost creations!"

"M-Mr. Van Gore, it was for the better of the good! I needed to rescue my bro at the time and-"

"Poppycock!" the ghost disrupted him. "You're nothing but a nuisance, little greenie. Now answer my question from before! Vat exactly are you doing here?"

When Colombo kept growling, Luigi had to make him stop as he leaned down and rubbed his back. The Polterpup's angry expression faded as he reluctantly let him speak.

"Again, King Boo had kidnapped Mario, except he's also got Princess Peach and a few of my Toad friends. I've been here to explore Hellen's hotel to find them all, as well as stop her and King Boo."

"Hrmm... Typical. It's just your character to help out anyone since you cherish zeir lives more zan your own. Selfless, I'll give you zat. But I'm still ticked zat you had to interfere with my vork!"

"Your 'vork'?" he repeated in confusion.

"Gah! Stupid tongue. My _work_! And if you dare disrespect my paintings again, zen I shall release my wrath!"

"Y-Your wr-wrath?" Luigi stuttered.

"Indeed. Take a look at zis!" Vincent floated to the side to reveal his latest art. It was simply a Boo on a painting.

"Um, what does zis- Ah, I mean, _this_ have to do with your wrath?" Luigi had to ask.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," the artist sneered.

If only Luigi saw it coming, but he didn't get the picture until something literally popped out of it.

"REEEEE!"

"YAAAH!" Luigi jumped. Colombo became startled from his scream.

"ROAR! I'm just as scary as those dinosaurs, huh?! You just dug up a heap of trouble with me, Boones! Get ready to be fossilized into your own painting!"

"Yes, prepare yourself for revenge, you dirty plumber!"

Vincent Van Gore's brush released a blotch of paint that soared towards the duo. Luigi dove to the side to avoid the attack while Colombo rushed in the opposite direction. Boones hurtled his way to the ghost hunter as he twirled around before knocking him into the display in front of the Stegosaurus.

"Owie! That hurt... Gah!" He quickly rolled over as Vincent released more paint from his brush. "What is this, Bowser Jr. polluting Isle Delfino all over again?!"

"My paint might not be zat dirty, but I'll color you blue, add some extra shades, and make you look like 'The Scream'! Eet eez what you're known for every time you come across a ghost, n'est-ce pas?"

Luigi ignored his comment as he rushed away from Boones, who continued to chase him. Colombo snuck behind Van Gore and bit on the paintbrush. He pulled the ghost down slightly as he struggled to get it out of his possession.

"Release your mangy mouth from my brush! I use zis for my valuable art!"

Colombo didn't appreciate his 'valuable art' as he maintained a tug-of-war against the painter. Eventually, the Polterpup won as he got it out of his hands, causing Van Gore to fall onto the floor.

"Grrr! You're just as annoying as zat ghost sucker! Give me my paintbrush back!"

What started off as a tug-of-war turned into a game of tag as the spectral canine ran around the perimeter of the Exhibit Hall. Van Gore kept his glowing, green eyes focused on him while Boones was dealing with Luigi. Speaking of which, the Boo tried to pounce on the plumber from above, but he ended up slamming the ground as Luigi dove away. The plumber instantly recovered as he pulled the handle on his Poltergust, dragging his tongue towards the nozzle.

"Eeeek! Hey! Hose off the merchandise!"

"You call your tongue 'merchandise'? Never thought I would hear that in my life," Luigi grunted before slamming him repeatedly.

"Ack! You'll regret that!"

Unlike most of his species, Boones did not turn invisible as he swirled so rapidly that Luigi's eyes were beginning to roll due to dizziness. Shaking his head, the man regained his attention at the Boo who created a shockwave. Using his Burst, he hovered in the air while knocking the Boo back a few feet. Boones saw a spare bone lying near one of the Raptor skeletons and threw it at Luigi. His reflexes allowed him to duck at the right time as the bone was chucked towards the T-Rex. Inconveniently, it was right where Vincent Van Gore was rushing as he was still pursuing Colombo.

The artist yelped in pain and fell back onto an easel that stood near the railing. A separate painting with a tarp fell down onto its side. When the cover was removed, Luigi gasped. One of his Toad friends was trapped in the portrait!

Before he could head over, Boones tackled Luigi from behind and dogpiled on top of him. The Boo kept him pinned as he planned to take him to his leader. However, Colombo yipped in retaliation as he shoved the ghost off of his owner's back. Boones found himself on the other side of the situation as he was the one down on the floor.

Colombo barked at Luigi, signaling him to Vincent. The painter was lying on his side as he failed to get up easily. The plumber nodded in appreciation and ran over to him. Van Gore groaned from the Strobulb's bright light. The bone put a dent in his body that he hardly made an attempt to escape the G-00.

"Of all zings, I'm wriggling in agony because I received a bone to the forehead. Stupid Boones! My art better live on even if I get sucked up a second time!"

"I'm sorry!" Boones apologized as Colombo restrained him.

"Because of you, I will _not_ accept your pathetic apology! Instead, I have to accept my fate again!"

Those were his final words before Luigi easily trapped him. Without a second to exhale, he returned to Colombo's side and got a hold of the Boo's tongue again. He repeatedly slammed him until he was finally stuck in the vacuum with Van Gore.

Now, Luigi could sigh in relief. Smiling to his Polterpup, he crouched down and held his gloved hand out in front. Colombo panted enthusiastically as he slapped his paw in return.

"At least they're out of the way. Let's go rescue Toad!"

"Bark!"

With the Dark-Light Device ready, he shined the rainbow light at the painting. Unexpectedly, a shadow crossed over, pausing Luigi from his rescue mission. There was a giant skull in front of them with a guttural snarl. Even Colombo was shaking that he was too scared to turn around. Luigi did the honors first.

He immediately regretted it.

The Tyrannosaurus Rex roared loudly as its breath made Luigi's mustache hair flutter violently. As his legs shook, Colombo noticed the dinosaur opening its mouth again, but for a different purpose. He pushed Luigi away in time as the T-Rex chomped its sharp teeth at the Toad painting, narrowly missing the plumber. Disappointed that it didn't satisfy its carnivorous craving, the T-Rex bellowed once more as several eggs from above started falling from the hanging pterodactyl skeletons. Nevertheless, the reptile swallowed the portrait down its throat before disappearing into the light found within the ribcage.

Then, the Virtual Boo rang in Luigi's ear. "Luigi! We just heard some loud sounds on your end. Are you alright?" asked E. Gadd.

"N-N-NO! We're not!"

"What's wrong, Luigi?" Daisy chimed in, concerned.

"We were just about to release one of the Toads from a painting after we caught Vincent Van Gore and another Boo. But this T-Rex skeleton just came to life and nearly made a meal out of us!"

"Did you just say, 'one of the Toads'?!" Red Toad, who returned to the bunker, squealed. "What happened to him?!"

"His painting was eaten up!"

"What?!"

"I'm not lying!"

"Geez, I can't imagine what it's like if I was there with you. Do you need me to come on up to help?"

"As much as I'd appreciate it, I rather let you _not_ become dinosaur chow!"

Daisy felt bad for her partner. But if he was valuing her safety, she had to comply with him, as much as she hated to. "The least I can do is help from a verbal standpoint. Maybe you have to hit the dinosaur with something."

"Uh... Uh..." Luigi panicked as he looked around. He soon spotted the eggs that had fallen a while ago. "Maybe these will work?"

"Only one way to find out! Please be careful, Luigi!"

"Right!"

The T-Rex had limited movement as it was stuck on the vertical pole. However, it was able to reach down with its neck, trying to devour the plumber. Avoiding the teeth, Luigi sucked up an egg and held it against the nozzle. As he fired it at the T-Rex, it got caught in its mouth before it tried to swallow. The dinosaur had trouble getting it down. Colombo barked at Luigi as he rolled the other egg near him. Thanking his pet, he swiftly shot it directly at the shining ribcage. The T-Rex screeched in pain as a few bones shattered from its skeletal figure. Suddenly, its breath caused one of the pterodactyls to collapse from high above. Luigi yelped as he and Colombo ran to the west before the bones tumbled all over the marble floor. Completely restless, the large reptile broke the nearby columns with its tail.

"No! Now there's not a second pterodactyl to draw eggs for me! What am I going to do?!"

"Here's what you should do first! Dodge!" E. Gadd warned.

The T-Rex stomped its feet as rubble began to fall from the ceiling. Eventually, another egg fell down, but it was the last one available. Luigi needed to make this count since he can't afford to waste it.

"He was able to eat the egg for a while. Maybe he can chew on something else to be distracted?" Red Toad thought.

"Wait! What about Gooigi?" Daisy suggested.

"Um, are you sure about that?!" Luigi wasn't confident in that idea.

"Unless he abhors the taste of coffee, you might as well give it a shot," E. Gadd told him. "You can guide Gooigi in front of the T-Rex. Before he chomps him up, you should switch back to your body so you can fire the egg in time!"

"Alright, I'll try. But if I don't make it out alive, I'm never forgiving you if I convert into a ghost like all the others!"

Colombo gave him a bark of encouragement before he watched him sleep momentarily. Gooigi was dispensed out of the tank before walking straight at the T-Rex.

**"Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me..."** he reiterated in his gooey brain.

Once the dinosaur fell for the bait, Luigi swapped his mind and regained control of his body. He watched Gooigi get consumed by the T-Rex as the green goo got stuck in its teeth temporarily. With the egg attached to the G-00, the man sent it right at the ribcage.

As the skeleton became more furious, another roar echoed in the Exhibit Hall. As if the monster was breathing fire, the block of ice nearby started to melt. To Luigi and Colombo's shock, there was a ghost that appeared from within – one whom Luigi had also fought in the first mansion.

"Blah! What?! My new icicle home has melted?! Why does this keep happening to me?! I can't stand the heat!"

It was Sir Weston, a light-blue ghost who wore a brown anorak and a red backpack with some climbing gear. He did a double take when he spotted Luigi.

"You there! I bet you were the one who ruined my ice block! I recall that you lit some fires like you were trying to burn my skin, so it must be you!"

"What? I never meant to do that!"

"Never meant to?! What tomfoolery are you talking about?! For all I know, you must've-"

Sir Weston didn't get a chance to finish his statement as the T-Rex caught everyone's attention. Luigi's jaw dropped when the dinosaur fought against the pole that restrained itself. Soon, it became free as it destroyed the railing and several more pillars. The dinosaur unintentionally whacked Sir Weston from his sitting area.

"WAAAH!" he fell face-first.

Luigi and Colombo returned their gazes at the living fossil. It started rampaging through the Exhibit Hall, obliterating the Raptor and Stegosaurus displays that the only thing left from them was a haphazard pile of broken bones. The heroes were off to the races again to prevent themselves from getting stomped on. Then, Sir Weston halted them after he recovered.

"You think you can just run away all willy-nilly from me? I don't think so!"

Weston threw his hands and stretched them out as he released a wave of ice at the pair. As they sprinted away again, what they didn't notice was that the ice was spreading out all over the museum. Luigi felt his boots slipping on the smooth surface that he nearly fell. Colombo also had trouble controlling himself as his paws couldn't stop him completely.

But there was a silver lining. The T-Rex was also affected by the ice that its large feet couldn't withstand the slippery floor. Unable to maintain any balance, the skeleton tumbled, shaking the floor that Colombo and Luigi eventually fell with it.

"D'oh! Owie..." the man scratched his butt.

"Now stay still as I turn you into a 10,000-year-old Neanderthal! This is for lighting those fires when I prefer to stay in freezing climates!"

A trail of icicles protruded from the glacial floor, surrounding Luigi as they began closing in on him. Colombo saw his owner in danger and needed something to rescue him. His head perked when he discovered a lit torch right behind Luigi. Carefully sliding across the ice, the Polterpup went over to the fire and grabbed it with his mouth. The next thing he did was bring the fire in between the impenetrable ice barrier and the ghost trapping him. As it got closer, the flame narrowly burned Weston's icy fingers.

"OUCH! HOT, HOT, HOT! Oh, my poor fingers!" he rapidly shook his hand. "You stupid mongrel! How dare you interfere with my vengeance?!"

Colombo signaled to Luigi to use his Burst and get rid of the icicles. Once he did, they flew in different directions, releasing him from his prison. Sir Weston tried to cool off the searing heat, but Luigi stopped him as he flashed the Strobulb and grabbed his tail. With a few slams on the ice, Sir Weston couldn't get himself out.

"Bah, humbug! To think, I almost turned you into a popsicle!"

"I thought you wanted to turn me into a '10,000-year-old Neanderthal'. It's too bad that I have to deny you!" Luigi grumbled as he pulled in Sir Weston. He was now trapped with Boones and Vincent Van Gore.

All that was left was the T-Rex who sustained a fatal concussion after shaking the museum. While there weren't any eggs left, Colombo figured Luigi could use the sharp bones to shoot instead.

"Good idea, boy!"

Luigi caught a bone in his nozzle and aimed at the glowing chest. With another direct hit, the T-Rex howled before it regained consciousness. Shaking his giant noggin, the dinosaur realized that Luigi and Colombo were still standing. Furious, the T-Rex made a beeline for the heroes.

The plumber winced as it got closer, but the icy floor was still a factor that the T-Rex couldn't keep its feet steady. He never thought the dinosaur would look so helpless after it nearly ate him not too long ago. As the dinosaur failed to reach him, Luigi grabbed a second bone and fired at the ribs. On the fourth hit, the T-Rex screeched loudly that the green ghost hunter had to cover his ears. Completely in pain, the fossil started to crumble as the base of its skull fell off first. Then, the rest of the body collapsed to the floor.

Another loud boom of thunder echoed outside the hotel before Luigi noticed a large fist breaking through the heap of bones. It was a brawny, mustard-yellow ghoul with an orange fur cloth, red eyes, and black hair. He was very dizzy at first, but his face switched to an irate expression.

"OOGA! Mooka mooka, foga poo malonka!" the ghost spoke in gibberish.

"Um, what is he saying?" Daisy called through the VB.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Luigi whispered.

"Who kill T-Rex?! Was it you, hairy boy?" he started talking in English, but very poorly.

"Uh..."

"Name is Ug. Me love dinosaurs. When dead, me became one with dino. But you kill it. T-Rex go bye-bye. Now the same for you!"

"Listen! I just want my Toad friend back!" Luigi defended himself.

"BAH!" Ug shouted as he pulled out a bone club from the broken T-Rex. "Moku may! Sonku fee dovario! Waku ooh! Mooka Ug MAD!"

"Yah!" Luigi and Colombo fled as he wailed the bone onto the floor. On the plus side, all of the ice went away, making it easy to run away. But now, Luigi had _another_ ghost to fight against.

Ug started swinging his club uncontrollably that it was hard to tell when he was going to strike. Whenever he did, Ug charged up his strength that the bone glowed red, then yellow, before smashing and creating a mark on the floor. A shockwave followed, making Luigi burst over it. The caveman struggled to get the bone out, giving the plumber an open opportunity to attack. He flashed the Strobulb to stun the ghoul and matched his own strength by whacking him back and forth. Ug was instantly dazed as stars spun around him.

"Booka! Green, hairy man may be strong. But Ug _stronger_!" he flexed his muscles. "You pay for hurting me and T-Rex! I fossilize you to oblivion!"

With a strike of the club, Luigi dove away as his heart beat faster than ever before. Just when he thought the axes in Castle MacFrights and Petunia the beanstalk were deadly, Ug and the T-Rex in contention for the most hazardous obstacle he had faced in The Last Resort. The only positive right now was that the T-Rex wasn't out to consume him. Yet Ug is hungry for his revenge.

Ug banged his club repeatedly as more rubble fell from the ceiling above. One piece was about to directly land on Colombo. The Polterpup immediately became invisible as it cracked onto the ground. After another round of close calls, Ug swung his club and released it from his hand. In a surprising twist, the bone came back like a boomerang. Luigi didn't notice this until a second too late as he felt the bone against his left hip, knocking him down.

"Ooga!" the ghost pumped his fist. "Mess with me, and you get pain!"

"Luigi! You have to hurry! He's about to pound you again!" Daisy shrieked.

Somehow, Ug was just able to hear the princess through the microphone. "Huh? Who speaks? Sounds like girl. Pretty girl maybe?"

"Ew, if he's trying to hit on me, I'm glad I'm _not_ on the same floor with you."

"Is she cute? Ug want to speak with pretty lady!"

Then, Luigi formed a crazy idea in his head. It was cruel in his mind, but he needed to finish this fight. "Hey, Ug!" he got his attention. "Uh, the _pretty lady_ is in here! She's a ghost, right inside this vacuum!"

"Oh! Really?!" Ug was excited.

"Uh, sure! The thing is, I can't release her. My vacuum won't eject ghosts, but I can let you see her inside if you want to. But on two conditions!" he quickly added.

"Conditions?" he repeated, scratching a finger on his head.

"Yeah. Number one, I want my Toad friend back. Number two, do you have an elevator button with you?"

"Ele-whazzit? Button? Button?" Ug was confused for a moment before searching through his loincloth outfit. He pulled a yellow, glowing circle. "Eh, button?" he showed it to Luigi.

The man in green hid his excitement. Colombo, on the other hand, yapped happily.

"That's it! If you hand it to me and bring out my friend, I'll let you meet the lady inside of my vacuum!"

"Hmm, maybe I accept offer..." Ug thought about it for a few seconds. He soon made up his mind. "Fine! You suck me!"

The awkward phrasing made Luigi's cheek flush as red as Ug's pupil-less eyes. Nevertheless, Ug hurled the desired object to him, and he caught it with his hands. Stuffing the prize in his pocket, Luigi had Ug right where he wanted. The cavemen dug through the remaining pile of bones to retrieve the Toad portrait he 'ate' with the possessed T-Rex fossil. He set it down next to him.

"Okay! Show Ug lady now!" he threw his club away.

"As you wish!" Luigi feigned eagerness. One more flash of the Strobulb and Ug allowed the plumber to suck him inside the nozzle. As the caveman made his way into the G-00, it took a few seconds to realize that he had been tricked.

"Ooga! What?! Where pretty lady?! She not here! Hairy man _LIED_ to me! Get Ug out!"

"Good lord, can you watch where you bang your fists?" Vincent Van Gore complained. "You almost gave me a black eye, and that'd be worse than getting a bone to the face!"

"I said I was sorry!" Boones whined.

"At least it's sort of chilly here," Sir Weston mumbled. "Maybe being trapped isn't so bad after all."

Luigi finally took a breather as he was finally done with his battles in the Unnatural History Museum. He did feel bad for deceiving the dim-witted ghost. But he needed to progress. All that was left was to free the Toad. He and Colombo headed to the painting. With no other distractions, the Dark-Light Device shined directly on the frame.

"Whoa!" Blue Toad rolled out of his prison. He stopped directly at Luigi's boots. "Ow, my head..."

"Are you alright, Blue?"

He blinked his eyes to focus. When he saw Luigi's face, he was instantly ecstatic. "Oh, Luigi! You saved me! Thank you so much!" he hopped around gleefully. He hugged his left leg in appreciation.

"Heh heh," he patted the Toad's head. "Glad you're alright. All the ghosts are gone. At least I hope so."

"It doesn't matter to me now that I know that you're alive! You too, Colombo! But what about the others?"

Red Toad got on the Virtual Boo's microphone to speak to his friend. "Blue? It's me, Red! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Oh, Red! It's great to hear your voice again! Um, wherever you are."

"He's with me and everyone else in my lab!" said E. Gadd. "We're down in the hotel's basement where it's safe from those pesky ghosts."

"Ah, okay. Is anyone else still captured?"

"With you and Red saved, that just leaves Yellow Toad, Peach, and Mario," said Luigi.

"Really? Aw, I hope they're doing fine," Blue moped.

"Don't worry! We'll find them eventually!" Daisy responded.

"Wait. Did I just hear Princess Daisy? How is she here?!"

E. Gadd waved off the question. "We'll get you up to speed once you're down here. Luigi and Colombo will lead the way."

"Ruff!"

"Hey, Daisy. I think I'm okay to move onto the next floor if that's alright with you. The quicker we get through the hotel, the better."

"Are you sure? Well, okay, if you say so! We're still looking after Polterkitty. I'll be rooting for you again!"

Luigi peered at the button and expected to see a '**10'** on there. However, he was surprised when it read **'B2'** instead.

"Huh... I guess the next stop is the lowest level in the hotel."

"Where would that be?" Blue wondered.

"Whatever is below the Basement since that's on B1. I'll guess we'll find out later."

"Arf!" Colombo wagged his tail.

The three quickly exited the Exhibit Hall and went straight for the elevator. As they got inside, Luigi watched the **'B2'** button fly into the bottom-left slot of the panel. For now, he pressed the one beside it so that Blue Toad can reach the professor's lab in the Basement. Eventually, Luigi and Colombo were due to reach the bottommost point of The Last Report.

* * *

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

Hellen had been preoccupied with other duties that she failed to check her security cameras when Polterkitty was lingering around the eighth floor. By the time she returned to her Observation Room, she was appalled that her cat was nowhere to be found in Paranormal Productions. Even worse, Luigi and his Polterpup saved Blue Toad in the Unnatural History Museum as he took the next elevator button!

"You've got to be _kidding_ me!" Hellen slammed her fists on the arms of her chair. "How has that stupid plumber not been caught yet?!"

Behind her desk were a Goob, a Hider, an Oozer, and a Purple Puncher in their hotel outfits. It wasn't difficult to know that the hotel owner was livid. She was arguably angrier than when Luigi smashed the first Virtual Boo. When she shifted her chair around, the ghosts didn't move a muscle as Hellen's yellow eyes glared at them.

"You lazy ghosts are so incompetent! I demand you to stop him or else your salaries won't be the only thing that will get cut! Now go! Don't show your faces here until that plumber is mine!"

The ghosts hated being in the middle of Hellen Gravely's temper tantrums, and this was truly a breaking point for her. They didn't want to know what she would look like if she reprimanded them in her true, evil form.

As Luigi and his friends continued to outmatch her staff, Hellen kept losing more of her patience with every ticking second. Even worse for her, she assumed her Polterkitty had been sucked up and kidnapped by the one she had been targeting. Little did she know that she was lying in E. Gadd's bunker. Regardless, her envy towards Luigi grew faster than a thermometer's temperature in the middle of Dry Dry Desert.

"Luigi... By the time, I get my hands on you, I'll make sure to give you a treatment that's far worse than Hell!"

Her narrowed eyes moved towards the Mario painting placed in the corner of her vault. She got up from her seat and floated over to the confined hero in red. Caressing the frame with her hand, she got a good look at Mario's own eyes, full of fright. Even though Luigi had escaped many occasions from her staff, she was at least satisfied that she had one Mario brother caught, courtesy of King Boo. But pleasing her idol was only worth the effort if she brought him the one he wants.

"Your brother is daring for a coward like him. I will give him the benefit of the doubt; he's willing to risk his life to save you. But I'm not going to make that simple for him. He'll have to face me before he can get a chance to release you. And I don't hold back that easily, so he better watch out for my wrath," she scratched her polished fingernails.

Although the painting didn't allow Mario to move or speak, deep within the framed prison, the man in red was wallowing in misery.

_"Luigi... Please be alright..."_

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_So, a few changes on this floor. Obviously, putting Sir Weston and Vincent Van Gore from the first game were the major additions. I also had Boones appear early in the museum since it would be a waste of time if Luigi returned to this floor later in the plot. Most of the dinosaur battle was similar aside from the part where Luigi manipulated Ug in the most heartbreaking situation I could think of. Poor Ug, he just wanted a companion (which may or may not have anything to do with his history)..._

_Also, please don't ask me where I got Ug's dialogue from. I literally made up words for whenever he gets angry._

_Additionally, Blue Toad had the button in the game when he was freed. How he got that button in the first place, I don't have a clue. Here, I had Ug keep the button since I led everyone to the idea that Hellen's special ghosts that she hired are the ones holding onto them. Thus, I edited this scene._

_Not only that, I left Daisy out of the fray temporarily to set up the next arc in the story, which is almost undoubtedly the **worst** level in the game. That's right. I'm talking about B2 – Boilerworks. Luigi and Colombo will once again be the main duo as they make their way through the deepest part of the hotel. Plus, I will include another huge revision that is much different than what appeared in the game. This will likely spoil a critical point for people **who have not completed the story mode entirely**. Yeah, I'm not kidding as you'll see for yourselves._

_Now that we're finally done, I want to thank everyone for the ongoing support! For anyone new, leave a follow/favorite to check out future updates so you won't miss a chapter! Review down below and let me know what you think of this one. Until then, I'll see you in the dreaded Boilerworks for Ch. 23 of Hotel Horror! This is TGN, signing off._


	24. Ch 23: Boiling Point

_A/N:__ For most people, I would assume this was the floor that gave everyone so much trouble because of one particular reason. But do you want to know something humiliating during my first playthrough? It took me about **20 MINUTES** to find the fake wall and reveal the pipe that led to the key in the very first room that you enter. No joke. If that's not the archetype of my stupidity, then I shouldn't be a gamer. In other words, everyone is automatically smarter than me._

_I also turned another year older today. That doesn't make me feel better though. :P_

_Without further embarrassing myself, Luigi will realize how hazardous the next area will be to the point where he's about to reach his..._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ I honestly wanted to die after spending so much time on that stupid-easy puzzle. Then the rest of the floor just made everything worse. Also, I don't own Luigi's Mansion._

* * *

**Chapter 23:** Boiling Point

"I still can't believe that Ug was able to possess a dinosaur fossil like that," Blue Toad shook his head as he, Luigi, and Polterpup stood inside the descending elevator.

"Well, I wish I could say that I've never seen that before, but Mario was able to use Cappy to possess a T-Rex in the Cascade Kingdom. When he trampled near me, I thought I was gonna get squished! I didn't want him to pop my balloons!" Luigi exclaimed.

"Oh, wow! I almost forgot that was a thing!"

"Yeah... Those two were quite the team back then."

"Well, you and Colombo make a great team, too! A great ghost-hunting duo!"

"Bark!" the dog appreciated the compliment.

"Thanks! Except, we don't deserve all of the credit. Daisy has joined our side, and E. Gadd has helped us with his technological devices."

"Oh, yeah... That reminds me, how did Daisy and the professor end up in the hotel? They never came with us during our vacation. Well, if you would still consider _this_ to be a vacation after what happened," Blue grumbled.

While the elevator was making its way to B1, Luigi chose to explain the entire situation to Blue Toad for the time being. Anything that he didn't explain during the ride, Luigi assured that Daisy and E. Gadd will provide the remaining details. So far, he mentioned how he narrowly escaped King Boo and Hellen after finding out that everyone had been trapped in portraits. After he survived the fall down the laundry chute, he and Colombo found the Poltergust G-00. Then, they saved Daisy and E. Gadd from their own paintings. Since then, the orange princess had joined the two to explore The Last Resort and find the missing elevator buttons.

"Oh, so _that's_ why I'm seeing some empty spaces on the panel," Blue Toad nodded his head. "It's all because Hellen took them out once we got ourselves situated in our suites, right?"

"Presumably, yes. Because after we found the vacuum in E. Gadd's car, I went to the elevator only to find a single button on here, which was the **'B1'** button to the Basement. Hellen's staff of ghosts that she hired are the ones guarding them, and they're spread throughout the levels of this spooky skyscraper."

"Wow, I'm sorry you guys have to go through that."

"It's not a huge problem. Although I'm still scared of ghosts, Daisy has been helping us. At first, I was worried about the idea of her tagging along, but she has proven to be a worthy partner in our adventure as she's caught tons of ghosts."

"Arf!" Colombo backed his statement.

"Plus, not all of the spirits that we've met were antagonistic. We ran into Madame Clairvoya from the first mansion and a director ghost named Morty. We helped him shoot a movie for him."

"Interesting... I'm on the same boat as you when it comes to phasmophobia. At least you're brave enough to face them unlike me!" admitted Blue.

"Thanks," Luigi scratched his head, his cheeks blushing. "Again, we already saved you and Red Toad. That means Yellow, Mario, and Peach are still somewhere in this hotel."

Blue Toad sighed, saddened at the thought that they're still imprisoned. "I can't imagine how the princess is doing after being kidnapped a plentiful amount of times. Hasn't she suffered enough?"

"My sentiments exactly."

"And Yellow Toad, he's my baseball buddy! I'll never get the chance to make double plays with him on the field if he's gonna be a painting for eternity!"

"We'll definitely rescue him. You can count on us," Luigi tried to cheer up the Toad.

"Yeah, that's right. I should have faith in you since you already saved me! But about Mario... I mean, not only is he an important figure of the Mushroom Kingdom, he's your brother! The fact that he's been abducted by King Boo thrice is just as bad as Bowser taking away Peach nonstop!"

A determined look crossed Luigi's face. "And I'll make sure to save him, even if it's the last thing I do."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck. I would happily join you, but I feel like I'd be a liability if I were to scream at any ghosts that get in the way."

"No need to worry," Luigi held his hand up. "It's better off that you stay in E. Gadd's lab for safety. When you get off the elevator, you want to make a right. The first door on the right will lead you to the Garage where the lab is."

Conveniently, the elevator had reached the Basement after Luigi explained the directions.

"Great! That's all I need! Thanks again, Luigi! Good luck again!" the Toad waved as he departed the lift.

"Thanks, Blue!"

"Ruff! Ruff!"

Once he was gone, Luigi went over to press the new button they stole from Ug. He and his Polterpup were ready to face the new dangers on the floor directly below them.

Meanwhile, Blue Toad reached the Garage and sighed when he saw the portable lab just several feet in front of him. Knocking on the door, he saw it automatically open. He jumped for joy when he saw Red standing near the entrance.

"Hey! You really are here!" Blue ran up to embrace him.

"Blue! I'm so glad you're here, too!" Red returned the hug.

"Geez, get a room, you two," Daisy joked as she sat on the sofa. Beside her was Polterkitty who was placed in one of Colombo's old dog beds that E. Gadd stored in his portable lab.

"So, Daisy, is it true that you and Luigi have been busting ghosts?"

"You bet I have!" she smirked.

"That's incredible! I'm also surprised that you were invited on a vacation, too. I can only guess that you found out too late that it was a trap, just like us."

"Indeed. I was so furious about it, but then Luigi saved me from my painting. After that, I joined him and Colombo throughout the hotel to understand how to catch ghosts. I can't say that I regret my decision one bit!"

"So, why are you here without him?"

"Oh, that's because of her," she referred to the sleeping feline.

"Who's she?"

"That's Polterkitty, Hellen Gravely's cat," E. Gadd answered as he swiveled his chair towards Blue Toad.

"Hellen Gravely's cat?" he repeated. "Wait, so does that mean that she's evil as that ghost?!"

"Oh, definitely!" Red Toad shivered. "You should've seen the camera footage of her trying to attack Luigi!"

"More like you should've seen her in person because that's what happened to us," Daisy gave Red a stern look. "She tried to attack and steal the elevator buttons from us twice. But we stopped her after Luigi broke this crystal pendant that she had been wearing. We assume that was the reason why she was able to transform from an innocent kitty to a bloodthirsty demon."

"No way..." Blue shuddered.

"Since then, I agreed to stay behind and look after her with the professor's help. We gave her this spare bed and brushed her fur. Not gonna lie, I could've sworn I heard her purr when I did that. Maybe she could've been raised well if she wasn't adopted by Hellen."

Unbeknownst to everyone, especially the tomboy, Polterkitty was able to hear her words during her nap. She barely managed to recover sometime after Luigi left for the Unnatural History Museum. Since then, she pretended to remain comatose.

A loud beep prompted Daisy to stand up from the sofa momentarily. She went over to E. Gadd's handy microwave next to his desk. A bowl of warm milk was taken out and placed beside the bed. Being gentle with her, the princess scratched her purple head in an attempt to wake her up. Polterkitty couldn't resist opening her eyes sluggishly. The Toads backed up a few steps just in case. Daisy stayed in her spot despite knowing her evil nature in the past. If Luigi could withstand her from getting scraped by her claws, so could she.

To everyone's surprise, her azure eyes looked very calm yet startled. Although Daisy had been negative towards her, she decided to be kind this time.

"Look, that's for you," she pointed at the bowl.

Polterkitty slowly turned to her right and stared at the milk. Turning back at Daisy, she was personally shocked that the princess was not being hostile. A nod came from her. Taking that sign into consideration, the cat took her time to stand up on all fours and dipped her tongue into the delicious, warm drink. She licked the whole bowl clean to quench her thirst. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Polterkitty was satisfied. However, this did not mean everything was alright.

Hellen was probably waiting impatiently for her, wondering where she could've gone if Luigi wasn't stopped. Does she dare try to go after the man in green a third time? Her jewel was destroyed, so she no longer possessed the ability to transform into her panther form. Then again, what good would she do if she were to attack him and became successful? Would Hellen truly let things go back to the way they were before King Boo escaped? Or would she forever be lost in the passion for her idol? Additionally, how would Daisy and the others feel if they treated her like this – even if it was momentarily – only to go back to her old roots?

The more Polterkitty thought about it, the more miserable she felt. She felt like she didn't deserve to be cared for after trying to harm someone. Yet here she was, lying in peace within the professor's laboratory.

Daisy laid her hand on her back, caressing it softly. "Listen, I don't know if you can understand me or not, but we weren't really happy when you first stole that button in the Garden Suites. I resented you even more when you attacked Morty and tried to hurt Luigi again. However, after seeing you lie in the Backstage in such a painful way... I don't know. Maybe I felt bad; maybe I didn't...

"But like Luigi said, it does feel kinda wrong to spontaneously treat ghosts like they're jerks. The thing is, we don't mean to harm anyone either. We're doing this because our friends need to be saved. Luigi, everyone else, and I were not gonna let King Boo and Hellen get away with this, even if the latter is your human. Regardless, I should apologize for thinking that all ghosts are cruel. Granted, King Boo is someone I would label as that. Yet like I said earlier, maybe that wouldn't describe you if Hellen properly cared for you – the same way Luigi cares for Colombo."

Looking back at the plumber and the Polterpup, she was jealous of those two as they always got along with each other from the beginning. If only Hellen reciprocated that same kind of puppy love, or rather _kitty love_, too. Polterkitty remained conflicted as she plopped herself back in the bed, her head resting against her paws. As her thoughts continued to linger, she was slowly developing a new sense of hatred.

Who was it directed to? Herself.

* * *

_Location: B2 – Boilerworks_

From the elevator tracker, Luigi and Colombo discovered that the new floor was called the Boilerworks. A wrench moved all the way to the far left of the elevator dial. As the bell rang, the doors began to open. Unlike every other floor, they opened vertically instead of towards the sides. The first thing the heroes noticed was how dank and murky it was. A few boxes, crates, and scaffolding were present inside the Elevator Hall. With limited lighting, Luigi and Colombo had no clue what to expect.

As the plumber crept past the corner, he quietly gasped when he spotted a purple ghost leaning against a workbench. He was a purple-skinned spirit with blonde hair, a single tooth under his upper lip, and a small patch of facial hair. His attire included a white, sleeveless undershirt with blue overalls, a matching colored cap, and a pair of green gloves. Based on his outfit and the location he was in, the ghost was either a mechanic or a plumber, just like Luigi.

There were two differences, however. One, he was a ghost. Two, he was sleeping on the job with his cap covering his eyes.

His aura was somehow glowing yellow. Luigi had a suspicion that he was keeping the button somewhere in his attire, but he couldn't be certain. Colombo tried getting close to him as his nose began sniffing for the object.

"Colombo, no!" he whispered.

The Polterpup obeyed his owner and stood back next to him. What Luigi failed to notice was the rubber duck that sat on the floor behind him. When his boot stepped back, a loud squeak echoed in the hall. Luigi cringed, swearing to himself.

"Erm... Ah! What in tarnation?" The ghost lifted the brim of his blue and white cap. His left eye opened up before he yelped in surprise. "Huh? Hey, what da y'all think yer doin' here, ya old, green coot? Ya tryna to disturb me from my ten-hour nap break?"

_"Oh, shoot..."_ Luigi moped. "Um, hello... How are you? And who are you?"

"Da name's Clem. Dare I ask da same to ya?"

"Uh, I'm Luigi, and this is my pet, Colombo."

"Arf!"

Clem's yellow eyes blinked for a second as the name registered in his head. Soon, his face scrunched up into an evil smirk. He was already making Luigi's muscles tense up.

"So, I reckon dat yer da plumber that Ms. Gravely is talkin' about! Ho ho ho, it's about time you faced me! First of all, dat green on ya? Bleh! What a nasty color!"

"You're saying that as you're currently wearing green gloves!" retorted Luigi.

Clem held his hands up and realized his point. He grunted to himself. "Touché, I'll give ya dat. But those long sleeves of yers? Pfft! Those are fer wusses! Y'all need an undershirt like mine – cut off at them shoulders to keep yerself from sweating a lot! Just looking at ya makes me think y'all perspire very easily!"

Oh, Luigi _was_ sweating alright. It wasn't because he was feeling hot though.

"I'll do ya a favor and snip them bad boys off! What d'ya say, eh?" The ghost brought out a pair of scissors from his bench.

"P-Please, don't! I'm just here to find the next elevator button!"

"Meh," Clem grumbled as he carelessly threw them away. "I ain't handin' ya no elevator button like it's a piece of candy. And don't come crying to me when yer arms wanna take a small breather!"

The way this ghost was talking was making Luigi extremely uncomfortable. And he thought King MacFrights's medieval speech was strange.

"Anyway, I want you fellas to soak in da moment dat _I'll_ be the one who's gonna git yer darn tootin' butt to Ms. Gravely! But let's have a lil' fun, shall we? Y'all like water attractions?"

"Um, sometimes," Luigi answered. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Hehehe, y'all see fer yerself, brother!" Clem spat onto his gloved hands and floated over to a pipe. "Time fer a hose-down throwdown, baby!"

Rotating it counterclockwise, he spun the valve rapidly as the pipe began to shake. Luigi anxiously glanced to his left, and he was met with a burst of water that sprayed violently in his face. He fell down, gagging uncontrollably as his head and clothes got soaked. Clem pointed and guffawed at the fallen plumber.

"Hoo hoo hoo! Them ignorant kids never see it coming!"

While Colombo had played with fire hydrants before, he didn't appreciate the joke Clem pulled on his owner. Growling furiously, he barked twice, demanding the elevator button.

"Oh, hush up, you stupid dog! Y'all want this here button?" Clem pulled it from his overalls, taunting the protagonists. "Come and catch me, why don't ya?!" he teleported through the door behind him.

Still hacking up water, Luigi ducked beneath the spout to avoid getting drenched. Squeezing the excess liquid from his hat, he grabbed his Poltergust G-00 and blew air onto the valve. As it revolved the opposite way, Luigi was able to stop the water from flooding out of the pipe.

"It's official. I _already_ hate this floor. We gotta find him fast!"

Luigi brought out his Virtual Boo and suddenly noticed how _humongous_ the Boilerworks were. He groaned when he found out that it also consisted of three separate levels. Clem could be anywhere, and that was what he tried to deny in his mind. As if things couldn't get any worse, the first door they came across was locked.

"Oh, just great! Where are we gonna find a key?"

"Bark!" Colombo spotted something shining from above. He saw a gold key hanging on a hook above a wooden platform.

"Hey, you found it! But how do we get it from here?"

Luigi immediately spotted a pipe opening that was good enough for Gooigi to squeeze through. He brought out the man in goo and used his body to squish in between the grating. However, Gooigi quickly zoomed inside the pipe only to leak out through the exit on the bottom right.

**"Well, that didn't work. What am I missing here?"**

Colombo sniffed around for any clues near the wall. Then, his head penetrated through a fake wall. Getting his attention, he guided Gooigi to grab the gray tarp and pull it away. A new pipe opening was revealed behind it.

**"I would've never found that out myself! Thanks, boy!"**

"Ruff!"

Gooigi inserted himself through the second pipe and landed onto the wooden platform. After taking the key, he noticed a hidden walkway that led to a few coins and a yellow gem in the shape of a wrench. He then zipped back into the pipe and went over to unlock the door. With the golden key gone, Gooigi returned to the vacuum's tank, granting the mustached plumber control. Luigi and Colombo plodded forward into the Waterworks.

Instantly, they encountered a floating spanner and a metal bucket in midair before a pair of ghosts emerged. A Goob snickered at the Blue Twirler after he had repeatedly whacked him. He stopped his laughter when he saw Luigi and Polterpup. He was about to punch the plumber, but instead, Luigi beat him to the punch. With the flash of his Strobulb, he sucked the Goob's tail before slamming him onto the Blue Twirler. When he was gone, Luigi used his Burst to remove the bucket and gain access to the ghost's face. Once the Twirler was also blinded by the light, he moaned loudly as he couldn't escape the G-00's suction power.

"Whew, another close call," Luigi wheezed.

The next door they approached had a lock that was similar to the one in the Basement. However, there wasn't a blinking, green light for Luigi to flash. He needed to find a way to bypass the lock mechanism. Colombo was quick to discover another pipe to the left. He implored for Gooigi to investigate. When Luigi understood, he fell asleep before transferring his mind to his gooey self.

Slithering down to the lower level, Gooigi was in a walkway with streams of water falling from some pipes. On the other end was the blinking light linked to the locked door. But since Gooigi can't touch water, he was stuck on what to do. There was no chance that he could sneak past the water without melting. Luigi awoke himself to get some help from E. Gadd.

"Yes, my boy?" he appeared on the Virtual Boo's screen.

"Hi, Professor. Colombo and I found a blinking light that we need to flash in order to unlock this door. But the only way to reach it is down in the lower level with Gooigi, and there's pouring water in the way."

"Hmm... okay. Hey, what do those valves do? Can they manipulate where the water falls from the pipe heads?"

Luigi glanced at the wall and thought for a moment. "If that's what Clem did with that first valve in the Elevator Hall, it should work here, too. I guess I have to switch back and forth between me and Gooigi to pass this obstacle."

"That might be the case," E. Gadd nodded. "Just call me again if you're stuck!"

Putting the Virtual Boo away, Luigi walked over to the valve and tested to see what happened if he spun one of them. Colombo helped by teleporting to the lower level and memorizing which pipes drained water based on the valves' arrangement. After figuring out the puzzle, Colombo directed Luigi to spin the valves in the appropriate order so that Gooigi could eventually reach the light. With a large flash, an electric current sparked through a red wire which led up to the door. The locking system deactivated, permitting them entry to the next room. Luigi was back in his body and gave his Polterpup a back rub for his assistance.

Upon reaching the Reservoir, Luigi and Polterpup were entranced by the sound of rushing water that filled the large gap in the center. Above the aperture was an L-shaped bridge. Down south, Luigi spotted a motor that rotated the bridge ninety degrees clockwise whenever he blew air onto it. He snapped his fingers as he had a plan. As he got onto the platform, he brought out Gooigi to spin the bridge so that it was aligned to a ladder. The plumber climbed up the metal rungs to the higher level. Directly in front of him was a humongous vault door with another valve. To the right was a windowpane. Beyond the looking glass, Luigi found Clem in the Drainage Control while changing a light bulb.

"Bah! Dat plumber is already here? He's faster than a barefoot jackrabbit on a hot, greasy griddle in da middle of August!" The ghost mechanic then glanced over at the large machine beside him. With a smug grin, he rubbed his gloved hands together. "But this is where da road ends fer him."

With all of his might, Clem used his arms to push a huge, red lever in the 'up' position. He cackled while leaning over the railing and watching the gate close up the drain passage. Water began to flood the Drainage Control as well as every other room in the Boilerworks. Colombo hurriedly floated over to his owner for safety. Luigi witnessed the water level surpass the L-shaped bridge.

"Oh, boy... This isn't good. I better not let Gooigi get out of my tank."

Soon, he heard a few knocks on the glass window. Carefully peeking to his left, Luigi was frightened by Clem who passed through the window and shrieked at him.

"WAAAH!"

"Ho ho ho! Sucker! Hope ya like drowning!" Clem blew a raspberry before disappearing into the Main Tank.

A loud splash in the Reservoir provoked Colombo to rescue him. Despite being able to swim, Luigi had always feared what it's like to sink to the bottom of deep water. As he struggled to keep his head above, Colombo dove right in and tugged on his shirt. Luigi was able to hold onto his red collar as the dog swam over to the closest platform on the right. They got out of the water, entirely wet from head to feet.

"Oh, I really thought I was gonna be done for. Thank you, Colombo!" he hugged his pet.

Colombo appreciated the embrace before pulling away and shaking his body. Luigi groaned as he blocked his face from the droplets. A few seconds later, the Virtual Boo rang. He placed the goggles on his face.

"Luigi! We saw what happened down there! Are you alright?" Daisy was the first to ask.

"Oh, I'm okay, sort of. First, we faced a possessed T-Rex fossil, and then I almost drowned. Again, I'm kinda glad you're not dealing with this, Daisy."

"Well, it's a relief to see you alive despite this new mess," E. Gadd commented. "Nevertheless, it appears that your path is blocked."

"Well, maybe I can swim over to the ladder and reach the Main Tank. That's where Clem went."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you! If that ghost flooded the Reservoir, as well as the rest of the Boilerworks, who knows how much water could be inside the vault?! If you open it, you might fill up the entire room!" warned the professor.

"Shoot, you're right," Luigi widened his eyes. "I can't take that risk."

"There are a few upsides. Both the Virtual Boo and the Poltergust G-00 have been tested in depths up to... uh, I forget. Really deep, to vaguely put it. What's important is that they're waterproof!"

"Yeah, that's actually good. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to communicate with you, and the spare Virtual Boo would be defective!"

"How are you going to get to that Boss Ghost though?" Red Toad wondered.

"I think Luigi's gonna have to drain the water," assumed Blue.

"He might be right," E. Gadd concurred. "That switch he activated should bring the water levels back to normal. You can probably navigate the sewers to reach the Drainage Control somehow. You might as well try!"

"It's too bad I can't come down there. Not only are we still keeping an eye on Polterkitty, but I also can't tell if the water flooded the Elevator Hall!" exclaimed Daisy.

"Yeah, it's best not to check since the door we came from is already submerged. We're on a higher platform right now. I guess we got no other choice but to move forward," said Luigi.

"Precisely. Good luck, Luigi!" E. Gadd signed off.

An exasperated sigh came from Luigi. He was starting to become more pissed off than terrified at this point. Just when he slightly caught a break with Morty and Madame Clairvoya, he was thrown back into reality as he had to face new ghosts and obstacles that kept getting in his way. Any second now, he was about to blow up again. Or rather, reach his boiling point.

The next room they entered was the Observation. It featured a lookout window adjacent to the Drainage Control. Water was everywhere that led to the nearby sewer, which was blocked by a metal gate. Either way, Luigi and Colombo knew they had to reach that room. According to the map, three sewer pathways led to the Drainage Control.

As they went down into Sewer A, Luigi found an inflatable rubber duck raft floating in the water. Nearby was a ledge with a pipe. On the upper level, Colombo pointed at a ball and chain attached to the metal gate.

"Hmm... I guess I have to get on this rubber ducky and make my way to the ledge. Then I have to switch between myself and Gooigi so that I can pull the gate up."

"Bark!" Colombo figured that he was right.

"Well, we can't just give up from here." He carefully sat on the raft. "Your turn, boy."

"Ruff!" he jumped in his lap.

"Oh! Watch where you land, Colombo!"

Using his Poltergust, he either blew or sucked air to move the duck float. He quickly realized how awkward the steering was for him.

"Yup, this is going to suck," Luigi frowned, no pun intended.

He got onto the ledge and used Gooigi to enter the pipe. As he landed on the higher level, he went into the other pipes to avoid the water blockade. He reached the ball and chain and tugged on it. As the gate opened, Gooigi fell asleep so that Luigi can float down the lazy sewer river. Then, he accidentally triggered a mine to bleep and blink red.

"Yipe! There are mines in the water?! What kind of sewer passage is this?!"

He quickly sailed away until he reached the next ledge. As he used Gooigi to slide through the pipes, he was unable to reach the far right where the next ball and chain was. A water spout was in the way.

**"How am I going to cross this one?"** Gooigi scratched his head.

"Bark!" The Polterpup found a valve near the gate.

**"Oh, maybe we have to turn this one to shut it off! Good eye, Colombo!"**

Luigi went back to his own body and got close to the valve. He carefully sucked in the air to rotate it clockwise while keeping the duck raft away from the mines. The water stopped leaking for Gooigi to progress and pull onto the chain. The next gate lifted up for Luigi and Colombo to enter Sewer B.

"Uh oh. That gate has sharp spikes! The current is also slowly pulling us towards it! I think we need Gooigi to find the next chain.

Since Gooigi's body remained at the top ledge, Luigi switched to him as he entered the nearby pipe. The gooey figure traveled from platform to platform until he was beside the spiked door. Once he pulled the chain as far as he could, Gooigi became immobile as he held onto it tightly. Luigi was awoken to ride down the waterway.

Gooigi slipped through the nearby fence and into another pipe to rejoin the duo in Sewer C. He hurried past a set of spouts that had water alternating on and off. He was able to locate the final chain to elevate the last spiked entrance. However, Colombo spotted something ominous in the water.

"Ruff!"

Luigi, back in his body, was startled. "Huh? What's wrong, cagnetto?"

An echoing whine came from him, his paw directed at three dorsal fins floating above the surface.

The plumber's eyes bulged. "Oh no, those better not be sharks..." he trembled in the rubber duck. "I have to be really careful not to get popped here. Hold on tight, Colombo."

Luigi looked for an opening to sneak past the fins. When he saw some space to his left, he blew air out of his vacuum and rushed past the sharks. Despite him reaching the Drainage Control, the sharks reversed their paths. Luigi panicked and guided the raft over to the nearby platform. Once Colombo jumped out of his lap, he followed him quickly. As he looked behind, Luigi sighed in relief when the fins disappeared into Sewer C. He called Gooigi back in the vacuum to lower the gate.

"Mamma Mia... I'm so glad we didn't become shark bait! So, the switch is up here, huh? I think we'll need Gooigi again since there's a new set of pipes for him to glide through."

Luigi stepped into a shallow pool on the platform, his shoes completely submerged. But he had already fallen into the flooded Reservoir, so he couldn't care less if his striped socks and feet were sopping wet. Suddenly, he felt a strange disturbance behind him. When he and Colombo looked around, they heard the water ripple.

"There's definitely someone trying to creep on us."

His intuition was accurate. A Slinker bellowed a shriek behind the duo, causing the plumber to fall face-first into the pool. The ghost laughed, but he stopped when Colombo bit his arm in retaliation. Luigi groaned as he got up and saw his pet restrain the purple spirit. With his Strobulb, he stunned the Slinker and slammed him onto the metal flooring. Once he was gone, some more ghosts appeared. Beneath one of the raised platforms were two generic ghouls that Luigi hadn't faced since the first mansion. One was a Ceiling Surprise, and the other was a Purple Bomber. Both pulled some mines out of nowhere and tossed them at the heroes.

"Crap!" Luigi barely got out of the way in time. He knew that these kinds of ghosts didn't have as much health as everyone else, and that remained true as he flashed and sucked them up in just two seconds.

Suddenly, he heard his pet cry for help. "Ruff!"

Luigi gasped as he turned around. "Colombo!"

The Polterpup was being carried by a Sneaker, struggling to get out of his grasp. Luigi narrowed his eyes and ran up to the apparition. He had to duck and dodge as the pink ghoul threw a fist at him. He taunted the plumber by carrying the dog high in the air. Luigi had to get Colombo down from there, so he searched for anything that could help him. When he noticed a spare mine that the Purple Bomber dropped, he gulped to himself.

_"Please don't be mad at me. I'm doing this to save you."_

Luigi carried the mine with his Poltergust and aimed it at the Sneaker. Shooting it upward, it knocked the enemy, causing him to howl in pain. Colombo also yelped, but he luckily didn't get injured. He fell into Luigi's arms, safe and sound. The plumber set him down quickly and ran over to the Sneaker. He got his revenge as he pulled him into the G-00 with the others.

"Oy, I'm so done with this floor. I hope I didn't hurt you, boy."

Colombo shook his head and barked in appreciation.

"That's good. Now let's pull that switch!"

Afterward, Luigi and Gooigi worked on another pipe puzzle where they turned the valves so that the directions would lead the latter to the highest platform. Once they solved it, Gooigi reached the top and used his hands to pull the lever. But he wasn't strong with just his gooey arms. Instead, he shot a Suction Shot and tugged on the rubber plunger. Down below, the passage reopened, draining all of the water.

"Oh, yeah!" Luigi did a jig. "Now we can return to the Reservoir and confront Clem in the Main Tank!"

"Ruff!"

Luigi climbed down the ladder while Colombo landed beside him. As they returned to Sewer C, they were shocked to see a Goob, a Greenie, and an Oozer – with dorsal fins attached to their backs – flopping on the concrete. They shared a glance at one another before shaking their heads in disgust. The mustached man took care of them and trapped them in the G-00.

* * *

The duo finally returned to the Reservoir without any new hazards. As they readjusted the bridge, the two made it outside of the Main Tank. Seeing that it was sealed, Luigi turned the valve over to the 'unlock' position. It was either do or die as they prepared to face off against Clem. The vault door slammed shut, yet it didn't wake up the sleeping mechanic at the apex of the Main Tank.

Luigi and Colombo found themselves at the bottom of another reservoir, deeper than the previous one. They were intrigued by how the base was arranged like a home. It was furnished with some sinks, a hanging bathrobe, a shower curtain with water pouring from a pipe above, a refrigerator, and a washer. But unluckily for Luigi, there were also rubber ducks on the ground. He stepped on another as it squeaked loud.

"Ugh, really?! I need to pay more attention!" he rebuked himself.

"Eh?" Clem was awake again. "Doggone it! You drained da water and made it here dat fast?! How?!" he slammed his fist on the edge of the reservoir.

Luigi ignored the question. "Clem, please! I need that elevator button!"

"I already told ya, y'all getting nothin' from me, brother! I'm fixin' to git your green behind outta here! Da same goes fer yer lil' pooch!"

The Boss Ghost floated over to another level that was similar to the one in the Drainage Control. He chuckled as he watched the water from the open pipes gush out. With the level rising, Luigi and Colombo got onto a nearby duck raft as they floated up to the highest point.

"Hmm, y'all think yer so clever? Just because y'all got a raft doesn't mean dat yer safe!" Clem got into his own inflatable rubber duck and joined the heroes in the deep pool.

Once the water stopped rising, Luigi and Colombo simultaneously spotted something ghastly next to the switch that Clem activated. It was another painting with one of his friends trapped inside. The victim was a woman with long hair, and she wore a dress and a crown. Her face was full of shock.

"Princess Peach..."

Clem glanced over as a paranormal gate blocked the switch and the portrait. "Eh, is she yer girlfriend? Y'all tryna save her and ride off into da sunset? What a touching love story... NOT! It'll be a darn shame for her to witness yer impending deaths! Time to buckle up and git slapped!"

Just like Mario, Peach was unable to talk or budge while trapped inside the frame. Internally, she was ecstatic yet worried when she saw Luigi in the Main Tank.

_"Luigi, I believe in you! You can do this! It's not just for me, but for Mario, too..."_

All Peach prayed was for him to be okay, yet she had this strange instinct that something horrible was going to transpire.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_And there is the major disparity I was teasing. For my rewrite, I wanted to have Peach's painting in this chapter for two reasons. For number one, when I played LM3 for the first time, I had this hunch that Peach would be down in the Boilerworks. (Spoiler alert, she was not there in the game.) As for the second reason, I'm not explaining that now. To keep in mind, I will not reveal Peach's true location for the sake of one of my friends who has yet to complete the story mode, nor has she explored the Boilerworks yet. Thus, I do not want anyone to spoil it for her and everybody else!_

_As for the floor itself, yeah, I hate this place. The controls for moving the rubber duck raft couldn't be more awkward than what I experienced. I ended up getting popped by those freaking ghost sharks so many times that I nearly slammed my controller out of rage. Even worse was the boss fight (which we'll see next time). When you combine all of those elements together, including my idiotic moment where I couldn't find the fake wall, I was basically frustrated, for lack of a better term. The Boilerworks **suck**._

_Next time on Hotel Horror, Luigi and Clem face off in the Main Tank. Will the plumber handle the stupid controls with the duck-shaped inner tube? Or will Clem use that as an advantage to officially drown the plumber? Leave a favorite/follow to check up on future chapters, write a review to vent your own frustrations on this level, and I'll see you next time in Ch. 24! This is TGN, signing off._


	25. Ch 24: Pushing Up Daisy

_A/N:__ I'm just speaking for the majority who think the Boilerworks is arguably the hardest level to handle just from the rubber duck controls alone. But I do get that some people didn't mind it at all. Plus, others do enjoy this level, especially the banjo music in the background. I'm just not one of them, that's all. So, I'm sorry if I was hyperbolic last time._

_Nonetheless, the glaring difference at the end of the previous chapter is going to be important. First and foremost, however, Luigi needs to defeat Clem and rescue Princess Peach. But it's going to be harder than he'll expect, and he might not be the only one to realize that..._

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Any rights to the Mario franchise or Luigi's Mansion belongs to Nintendo. This rewrite is the only thing I'm responsible for._

* * *

**Chapter 24:** Pushing Up Daisy

_Location: 5F – RIP Suites_

While Luigi and Colombo were still excavating the Boilerworks, Daisy resumed her duties to look after Hellen's Polterkitty. Since she gave her a bowl of warm milk, the orange princess left her Poltergust 5000 in the lab and decided to freshen her up with a bath. Like most felines, Polterkitty despised them. Aside from her tails being sucked up in the heroes' vacuums, the worst feeling was getting her fur wet. Albeit, the cat couldn't say that she was well-groomed after her failed attempts to stop Luigi.

Reluctantly, she allowed Daisy to carry her again as they made their way up to the fifth floor. For extra supervision, the tomboy recruited Red and Blue Toad, much to their displeasure. They were carrying Daisy's bath supplies that she packed from her suitcase. With Luigi's room key, Daisy entered Room 503 and brought Polterkitty to Luigi's bathroom. Red and Blue closely followed them as she set the cat down on the tiled floor. Daisy drew some water from the faucet, waiting for it to warm up.

"Thanks again for coming along with me," Daisy appreciated.

"I just better hope that cat won't scrape my vest or anything," Red Toad whimpered.

"Especially since we're giving her a bath, she's due to cause more mayhem!" Blue shook his body in fear.

Polterkitty, meanwhile, was a bit offended by his comment. Then again, she couldn't take back what she did to the protagonists.

Daisy dipped her hand in the water, checking the temperature. She made sure the level was shallow so Polterkitty wouldn't accidentally drown. But she was a ghost, so was it even possible? The princess was confused that she decided to ignore her thoughts.

"Alright, gotta be careful here. Just stay calm, kitty."

Once again, Polterkitty let Daisy carry her as she was gently placed in the tub. The sensation of her paws touching the warm water made her flinch. She wanted to escape, but she held herself back, as much as she hated it. So far, Daisy hadn't shown any signs of negativity or abuse since she woke up in E. Gadd's lab. She was petting her fur as a way to soothe her. At the same time, Daisy was being cautious so the cat wouldn't fight back.

She then asked the Toads to hand her the supplies. Squeezing a small amount of her citrus-scented shampoo onto a loofah, she applied it to her fur with some water. Daisy took her time to scratch every part of her body without being too rough or getting some in her eyes. The Polterkitty shivered as she felt her hands hold her gently as the loofah cleansed her body. Whenever Hellen gave her a bath, she recalled how hard she scrubbed her fur, which was somewhat uncomfortable. But Daisy's technique was more gentle. She temporarily glanced up at the princess only to see a reassuring expression.

"I'm not going to hurt you this time. I did what I had to do back at the Garden Suites and the Paranormal Productions. I'm just saying that whatever Hellen is up to, it's not right of her to use her pet as some kind of evil ally. As much as I despised chasing after you, I said to myself and Luigi that being cruel to animals isn't good. You may be a ghost, but you're still an innocent animal. You're basically a pet, and they need to be loved. The least I can do is groom you after sucking up your tails."

Speaking of which, she only had the one after Luigi destroyed her pendant. However, the other two were slowly growing back like before. Once Daisy lathered every bit of her translucent fur, she scooped a handful of water and poured it on her body. Soon, her fur started to smell much better than before. Daisy continued the process with some soap and conditioner.

"I'm surprised she hasn't jumped out of the water yet," Blue Toad marveled at the sight.

Red got up close, his hand gripping the edge of Luigi's bathtub. "Wow, she looks much better than before. You can't even tell if she's a demon panther or not!"

"Can you grab me a towel please?" Daisy implored after rinsing for the last time.

"Here ya go!" Blue handed one to her.

After letting the warm bath water drain, she carefully dried the excess water from the feline with her soft, white towel. Once she was done, Daisy wrapped Polterkitty and carried her over to the closed toilet seat. She then asked Red Toad to plug in her hair dryer. After doing what he was told, Daisy turned it on at high heat with low fan speed. The feeling of hot air blowing on her body was satisfying to the cat. She even let out a soft meow while licking her front paws. Daisy brushed her back with her hairbrush, stroking in different directions to keep her fur upright. Minutes later, Polterkitty looked squeaky clean. Even the cat was surprised at Daisy's ability to freshen her up.

"Perfect! Did that make you feel better?"

Polterkitty was a little afraid to respond. Tilting her head for a moment, she meowed cutely.

"Wow. That sounded like the first genuine meow I've heard from you. Hopefully, you'll gain my trust that none of us will harm you, especially me, Luigi, and Colombo."

The cat was still indifferent about the plumber and the Polterpup. For now, all she did was bask in her groomed appearance.

"So, now that we got you cleaned up, how about we get you something to eat?"

She couldn't remember when was the last time Hellen fed her. The next thing Daisy and the Toads heard was a growl. Only this time, it wasn't from Polterkitty's mouth; it came from her stomach.

"Sounds like a 'yes' to me! Let's head down to the Mezzanine's Kitchen and whip up something."

"What do cats like to eat anyway?" questioned Red.

"If we're lucky, we might find some catnip," said Blue.

"I'm sure I can think of a sufficient meal to cook for not just her, but for all of us. Besides, you two must be hungry as well."

As if she was a psychic, Red and Blue's stomachs also rumbled. "How did you know?"

"Call it an intuition," Daisy shrugged while smirking. She proceeded to carry Polterkitty once more as she exited Luigi's bathroom. The Toads grabbed the supplies before following her out of the suite.

"Say, how do you think Luigi's doing down in the Boilerworks?" Red wondered.

Blue concurred, nodding his head. "Yeah, last time we spoke with him on the Virtual Boo, he nearly drowned from the flooded Reservoir! Do you think he's alright?"

Daisy paused in the middle of the hallway, causing the Toads to stop as well. She couldn't say that she wasn't worried in the slightest after all the hazards and pain Luigi had experienced thus far. But she also wasn't skeptical in his abilities. Besides, he had already caught ghosts and defeated King Boo in two instances by himself.

"Princess?"

She shook her head as her thoughts dissipated. She smiled down at them. "I'm confident that he's doing fine. He was alright moving on with Colombo on the next floor after that fight with Ug and the T-Rex."

"Don't forget about Vincent Van Gore and Sir Weston!" reminded Blue.

"Right. Either way, if he's caught Boss Ghosts by himself for a long time, why should I think that he's going to fail? I have confidence in him, no matter what dangers lie ahead of him."

Satisfied with her response, the Toads returned to the elevator and descended to the Mezzanine to get some food for Polterkitty. The purple cat, still cuddled in Daisy's grasp, felt her beating heart as she was held close to her chest. Her embrace felt warm and welcoming, something she desperately missed from her owner. At this point, all she could do was remain in silence, pondering about her choices.

* * *

_Location: B2 – Boilerworks_

"Eeek!" Luigi felt the water ripple beneath his duck raft. Colombo had to hold on tight in his owner's lap so he wouldn't fall off.

Meanwhile, Clem guffawed as he held a paper fan in one hand, slapping it with the other. "Y'all ready fer some waterworks? I betcha ain't! Hoo hoo!"

As the mechanic paddled with his ghostly tail, he leaned forward to get closer to Luigi's rubber duck. The plumber was instantly startled as he nearly got whacked by the fan. He used the Poltergust to blow air, floating away from Clem. However, Luigi didn't notice how close he was to the spiked perimeter of the Main Tank.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo tried to warn him in time.

"Huh?"

Luigi didn't have any time to react as the raft got popped. He and his Polterpup went flying and landed on the metal surface.

"Hehehe! You call dat a plan of attack? Getting punctured because of your cowardice and inattentiveness?! How pathetic!" mocked Clem.

Luigi groaned as he recovered from his mistake. He found a few deflated duck floaties around the tank. Using his lungs, he breathed through the duck's beak to inflate one of them. Meanwhile, Clem started throwing mines at the plumber. They started to beep and blink the second they hit the flooring. Luigi yelped as he and Colombo ran away before it could detonate near them. After it exploded, the two hopped on the inner tube.

"Havin' trouble, lad? Just hope dat yer a good swimmer!"

Luigi's heart raced as Clem swam up to him. This time, he knew he had to be aware of his positioning so that he wouldn't pop the raft again. Clem swung his paper fan at him, and he managed to swat his nose.

"Owie!" he squeezed his eyes shut in pain.

"I'm surprised y'all made it this far. It's like you're not even tryna fight back!"

Clem hurled a few more mines in the water as they acted as extra obstacles for Luigi. The green plumber cautiously sailed across the water while dodging the mines so he wouldn't activate them. Simultaneously, he struggled to get away from Clem. Every time the ghost was a few feet away from him, Luigi panicked to veer off in a different direction. Once again, he wasn't looking at where he was going, and the raft exploded from the spiky border.

"Gah! I have to be better at steering!" he reprimanded himself. Colombo tried to give him some encouragement. At the moment, however, he kicked the mines away from Luigi to spare him some time to blow up a new inner tube.

As he got back into the water, Luigi focused on Clem's movements. He knew that he was going to attack with the fan the second that he's in range of him. He needed to catch him off guard and send Clem over to the spikes so that he could be immobilized.

_"Just stay calm. Let him try to attack, and maybe he'll miss."_

Colombo barked at the mines, indicating that they could benefit their situation.

"I bet I know what you're thinking, boy," he whispered.

"Whatever strategy y'all are whippin' up, it ain't gonna work against me! Now git over here so I can slap ya silly!"

Luigi floated backward to reach a mine, then he quickly changed directions after the mine started to blink red. Clem realized a second too late as he got near the mine. He attempted to paddle away but to no avail. Clem exploded and became immobilized as he spun in circles from within his inner tube.

"Here's our chance, Colombo!"

"Arf!"

Luigi sailed to Clem's duck and sucked up the beak. As he was still dizzy, the man shot the mechanic to the spikes. He flew out of the tank and fell onto the floor.

"Quick! Let's get him!"

He went over to the northwest section as they reached an open space without any spikes. Instead, there was part of a large ladder that wasn't submerged in the water. He and Colombo hastily got off the raft and rushed over to where Clem landed. The mechanic ghost was still knocked out for a bit, allowing the ghost hunter to shine his Strobulb at him.

"Yargh!" Clem groaned from the large light.

"Oh yeah! Let's-a-go!" Luigi grunted as he tugged on his tail and slammed him repeatedly. Clem escaped afterward and snarled at the mustached man.

"Y'all might've outsmarted me just fer dat one time. But you ain't gonna succeed again!"

Clem grabbed a new rubber duck for himself and hopped back into the water. Luigi and Colombo returned to their own inner tube near the ladder. A pair of mines floated in the south portion, so Luigi tried to bait him over there. However, Clem was smart not to follow him in that area. Instead, he impatiently waited until he was distant from the mines. He swam over to the east where they were and swung his paper fan again. He nearly missed Luigi's face and tried to get him again. But on the second swing, he spun around in circles again after his failed attack.

"Hey, that works as well! Let's send him over to the spikes again!"

"Ruff!" Colombo was on board.

Luigi carefully went over to the spinning duck and sucked up the beak. When Clem stopped rotating, he got a bearing of what was happening behind him. He saw Luigi beam as he launched the inner tube at the spiky border.

"Wah! Why ya darn-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence as the apparition got popped and fell onto the metal flooring a second time. Luigi repeated the process from before and got out of the Main Tank. Colombo held Clem's tail down in case he tried to escape. Luckily, Luigi got there in time to flash the mechanic and slam his body four more times.

As Clem became weaker, he started losing his patience and temper. "It's do or die in this situation, 'cept it's gonna be da latter for ya, Greenie!"

Out of nowhere, he pulled out a bombardment of bombs and sent them over to Luigi and Colombo. The plumber's eyes widened as he noticed what emerged in front of him. His initial reaction was to run away, and that's what he did. Colombo turned invisible, but he was worried that his owner would get caught in the massive explosion. The mines beeped loudly, echoing within the Main Tank. Then, the chain reaction occurred. One bomb after another, they detonated until Luigi felt a wave of ash and heat behind him. The force caused him to tumble as he lost his footing, his face crashing onto the floor. Soot smeared across the back of his overalls.

"Hoo hoo! Dat's what ya deserve, cockroach!"

Luigi struggled to stand as he placed his hands on the surface. Trying to push himself up, he somehow lost most of his strength after the blast. Yet he refused to let the pain take over. He was close to defeating Clem.

"Gah!" he screamed as he grabbed his shoulder, keeping himself up with his elbow. He was unable to move for a moment. Colombo resurfaced from his hiding spot and hurried to his human. He barked twice, wondering if he was okay.

"Arf!" Colombo then whined as he saw him wince in agony.

"I think... my shoulder popped..." he mumbled.

Suddenly, he felt a grip on his wrists. Slowly glimpsing upward, he saw a devilish grin from Clem as he got hoisted by the mechanic. Colombo barked, panicked of what he was going to do.

The purple ghoul sneered as Luigi's pupils shrank in fear. Clem twirled the plumber around as fast as he could, causing him to be extremely dizzy.

"Ya probably thought it was funny to watch me spin around in da water like a crazed buffoon on a lazy river! Well, how about y'all laugh at yer eventual demise?!"

Clem let Luigi go as he threw him across the Main Tank. His body clanged hard against the wall, sending a new surge of pain flowing through his blood. Even worse, he lost consciousness. Luigi toppled into the water as most of his body was immersed. Colombo yelped if he could hear him. But the man didn't budge once.

As he heard the ghost laugh, the Polterpup narrowed his eyes and made a course for the comatose plumber. He dove into the tank and grabbed the collar of his shirt with his mouth. Colombo pulled him over to the ladder. Since Luigi remained motionless, he used all of his might to jump out, similar to how he saved him in the Reservoir. Unfortunately, his owner wasn't awake to thank him. Colombo licked his nose, hoping he would get his attention. To his despair, he was still insensible!

"That darn plumber friend of yers ain't gonna recover after I'm finished with him!" Clem taunted sinisterly as he appeared with a rope and weight attached to it. Suspending the man in green in midair, Colombo's eyes widened as he realized that he was going to drown him.

The ghostly dog couldn't let that happen, but he was also unable to trap Clem in a vacuum. He needed assistance and _fast_. His mind was contemplating on what to do. Soon, he made his decision. Colombo had to find Daisy. As much as he was going to regret leaving his owner, the Polterpup felt like he had no other choice. He ascended to the ceiling of the Main Tank, hustling up to the Basement to find the Sarasaland princess.

"Hehehe! Your stupid pooch can't defy my strength or save ya! What a ridiculous pet ya have! Now stay still as I finish wrapping this around ya! Not like ya can move in the first place anyway! Hoo hoo!" Clem chuckled at the unconscious plumber.

Peach, who was still trapped within her painting and the paranormal gate, witnessed everything from that fight. Just when Luigi was close to saving her, she was distraught to see him in this current scenario. She couldn't bear the thought of Luigi being doomed, especially with what Clem was plotting. But at this rate, his life was on the verge of reaching the Underwhere.

_"Luigi... I'm so sorry..."_

* * *

_Location: B1 – Basement_

Daisy and the Toads finished their trip from the Mezzanine as the princess cooked some meals for her friends, herself, and Polterkitty. Red and Blue carefully carried the plates like a pair of professional waiters while Daisy held a bowl of cat food, consisting of some lean beef and chicken she prepared. The enticing aroma made Polterkitty want to faint. Instead, she let out a few more meows, indicating that she was _really_ hungry.

"Okay, okay. We're almost there," Daisy pacified her. "Can one of you get the door please?"

"I can try, but I hope I won't spill all of these dishes!" Red shuddered.

Thankfully, the Toad was meticulous to grab the handle and push it without losing his balance or grip. He let everyone enter the Garage before returning to the portable laboratory. They ran into E. Gadd who was fixing his wiring components yet again.

"Gah! You'd think that a professional scientist and technician like myself would be able to properly run his computer setup," he grumbled to himself. "Let's see... Gotta give this bolt a twist, attach this to that..."

"Hey, Professor," Daisy called, "sorry to interrupt, but we brought some food for you."

"Hmm?" he peeked from under his desk. "Oh, splendid! Just set it next to my keyboard, thank you."

Blue Toad set the plate down as the old man told him before he and Red Toad got themselves comfortable on the inflatable sofa. Daisy set Polterkitty down on the remaining space and placed the bowl of cat food in front of her.

"Alright, kitty. Time to eat up! I hope I cooked it well for you."

The spectral feline sniffed the meats once more, her tail waving in anticipation. It even caught the Toads' attention. As she leaned over to take a bite, her head shot up. At first, everyone was scared to think that she despised the food. Then, she dove back in, chewing on the meat delicately. A quarter of the way through, Polterkitty gave Daisy a satisfactory response.

"Mrow!"

"She must really enjoy your cooking, Daisy!" exclaimed Blue Toad.

"I gotta say, maybe you have some sort of charm with cats or something," Red smiled.

"Possibly. But I'm just doing whatever I can to make her feel better. I'm just concerned about how Hellen's been treating her ever since she set up this hotel scheme of hers."

Hellen's name being mentioned gave Polterkitty a sense of uncertainty. Again, she contemplated how the purple ghost was enraged that she not only failed her twice, but she's out and about with her enemies, no less. While she probably thought returning to the Master Suite would ease her owner, Polterkitty couldn't help but imagine how she would live up to her wrath.

Before she could think any further, Luigi's Polterpup suddenly emerged in the middle of the lab, yapping in a frenzy.

"Huh? Why is Colombo here?" Red was bewildered.

"Shouldn't he be with Luigi in the Boilerworks?" Blue was also confused.

Daisy froze on the spot before she could eat her own meal. E. Gadd also poked his head out to see the dog's distressed face. "Colombo? What's wrong?" she dared to ask.

"Uh, you do realize Colombo can't talk, right?"

"Of course, he can't!" she yelled at Blue, causing him to wince. "Professor, get in touch with Luigi ASAP!"

"R-Right!" The professor fumbled from his spot and got up on his high chair immediately. He tried to call the Virtual Boo, but Luigi wouldn't answer. After dialing a second time, Daisy's anxiety levels flew through the roof.

"Why isn't he responding?!"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo whined afterward.

"Hold on! Hold on!" E. Gadd swiftly typed some keys. He glanced at one of the monitors that was linked to the Virtual Boo's camera. If he were to discover anything, the footage explained what was happening. Then, from a weird perspective, they saw Clem hoisting the inert plumber over the large body of water. With the weight and rope and attached to his leg, the mechanic released him as the man's body plunged deep into the Main Tank.

Red Toad nearly choked on his food. "Holy Mushrooms! Luigi's gonna drown!"

"Not only that, but did you see what was in the background? I could've sworn I saw another painting. And it's Princess Peach!" yelled Blue Toad.

"Peach..." Daisy whispered before shaking her head rapidly. "She's not the only one in danger; Luigi needs help, too! He can't even hold his breath if he's immobile! Screw the food, I'm going after him! You guys stay here for your own safety!"

"Daisy, wait!" he grabbed something from a box of supplies. "Since you don't have a communication device, take this with you. It's the Dual Scream I lent to Luigi in Evershade Valley."

"Gotcha. This'll likely be handy then. Colombo, I'm following you to take me to Luigi!"

"Arf!"

The tomboy impulsively swiped her vacuum and ran out of the lab with the Polterpup leading the charge. Then, after a few seconds since she left, Polterkitty trembled. Staring back and forth at her unfinished bowl and the open door, the cat eventually hopped off the sofa and sprinted after them.

"What the heck? Why is _she_ leaving?!" Red was even more befuddled.

"Oh, bother... Either she wants to be in Daisy's company, or this could spell major trouble," E. Gadd placed a hand on his cheek, shaking his head. "Regardless, I can't get in contact with Luigi at all if he's submerged. I hope he'll be saved..."

* * *

By the time Daisy and Colombo reached the Boilerworks, they were caught off guard when they saw Polterkitty teleport from the ceiling. Since she was a ghost, she had no problem falling without getting hurt.

"Polterkitty? Why are you following us?"

"Mrow!"

Colombo got defensive for a second and barked angrily at her. To his surprise, the feline flinched. She backed away with her tail dropping on the murky floor. Colombo stopped immediately as he turned to Daisy for an answer.

"Honestly, she's been quite calm since I've been watching her for the last couple of hours. I gave her some milk, a bath, and some food. She hasn't tried to harm me or the others in the lab."

Since he wasn't there to witness everything, the Polterpup was still skeptical since she was technically part of the opposition to begin with. But after hearing Daisy's speech, he gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"Come on! We can't stand around any longer! Luigi's lungs are probably filled with water by now!"

Polterkitty trailed behind the two heroes, but she kept her distance from Colombo since there was still some awkward tension floating within the dank atmosphere. For Daisy, she didn't encounter a single ghost. All she did was chase the Polterpup into the Reservoir. That's when she spotted the entrance to the Main Tank.

Daisy didn't need to guess what would happen if she were to open the vault. She pulled out the Dual Scream and contacted the professor.

"Yes, Princess?" his face appeared on the top screen.

She began speaking in a rushed, panicked tone. "So, we made it to the outside of the Main Tank. Earlier before, we were under the assumption that it was flooded when Clem pulled the lever in the Drainage Control. But now that we _know_ for a fact that the tank is filled with water, there's no way to get inside!"

"That is quite the predicament," E. Gadd frowned. "We can't afford you to risk your life when the other's already in peril! The question is, how in the world can you get in there? Because I'm gazing at the map that's been obtained from the elevator tracker, and I can't seem to find a secondary passage."

"But there has to be another way! I can't let Luigi die! Not when we've come this far! If he does, I... I..."

Daisy started hyperventilating. Never had she ever had an anxiety attack like this before. The fear of losing her lover was the same thing he felt since the beginning. Luigi only wanted her to be safe from King Boo and the ghosts. But now, all she cared about was his own well-being. She reached a breaking point as she started developing tears in her blue eyes.

Colombo was saddened to see the princess visibly upset. Even Polterkitty was surprised. After all of the good deeds she has done for her, watching her break down made her heart twinge.

Was it a feeling of regret? A feeling of depression? Maybe sympathy?

Whatever it was, the ghostly cat was starting to think that serving for Hellen's greedy purposes was the wrong thing. Daisy expressed an equivalent amount of care on this gloomy night similar to when Hellen provided her comfort on the day she was discovered in the alley. Even if it was only for a shorter period of time, part of her thought that the princess was more amiable than the purple-skinned apparition. With every passing second, Hellen started drifting away from her.

By then, Polterkitty couldn't take it. She decided to help. But it wasn't for Hellen; it was for Daisy.

"Meow!"

Daisy and Colombo peeked at the cat and noticed a determined glare. It was different compared to the times where she transformed into a beast. She ran north of the Reservoir's gap. The princess wiped away her tears as she was puzzled at Polterkitty's call.

"Mrow!" she gestured.

Their faces were stupefied, yet they shadowed to where she stood. Polterkitty placed one of her front paws on a square, metal panel. Daisy didn't get the picture until she went over to the wall. Placing her hands against the edge of the panel, she tried pulling towards her. Shockingly, the panel opened up, leading to an air duct.

"How do you know about this?" she raised an eyebrow.

Polterkitty could only answer with another meow. She then ran into the vent, alluring the others to trail her from behind.

"Hmm... Maybe she knows a lot about this hotel considering she was with Hellen from the start. Then again, I'm doubtful to trust her even if I tried to be nice earlier."

"Arf!" Colombo understood her point, but he was still scared about his owner.

"Yeah, I should worry about that later. Luigi's our top priority! If she'll lead us to him, then we'll take it."

Daisy got on her knees and wriggled through the confined ducts, leading up to a small incline. The path kept curving to the left, implying that they were climbing around the outer part of the Main Tank through the secret passage. With Polterkitty in the lead, Daisy and Colombo crawled as fast as they could until they reached a dead end – a vent with multiple slits. Through the opening, the three could spot Clem snoozing on his inflatable duck. In between snores, the ghost flashed a smirk, proud that he got rid of Luigi.

"That conniving mother-" she refrained from finishing that last word. Daisy also spotted the large, red lever that caused the area to fill up with water. Next to it was Peach's painting. Both were concealed from the paranormal gate.

While Polterkitty and Polterpup were able to pass through the vent, Daisy needed to escape, too. Then, she noticed that the outlet was barely loose even though part of it was bolted into the air duct. The princess tried pushing the wobbly corners, but it was difficult to budge. Colombo looked back at the vent and tried grabbing it with his teeth. The metal vent creaked, making everyone cringe. However, Clem remained asleep. Apparently, he was only prone to the squeaking of rubber ducks. The Polterpup kept his grip and pulled it outward to give Daisy enough room to squeeze through the space. Gasping, she managed to exit the ducts before standing up. Daisy thanked the canine by petting his head.

Wiping the sludge off her blouse, she grabbed her flashlight and tiptoed towards the mechanic. As she got closer, she paused when she peered into the depths of the Main Tank.

Her heart sank.

All the way at the bottom was the man in green. He didn't move at all as his eyes were closed. The rope and weight kept him stuck down there. To say she was worried was a damning understatement. She had to drain the water _immediately_.

Shifting her stare at the Boss Ghost, she narrowed her eyes and charged up her Strobulb.

"You're so dead, Clem."

"Hrmm? Whuzzat?" the ghost lifted his brim over his yellow pupils. "WAAAH! How'd y'all git in here?!"

"I'm not gonna answer that question, you hillbilly bozo! How about you suck on this?!" Daisy angrily released the strobe of light. Clem was barely able to block it with his hat.

"Yargh! Ya almost look like da purty, lil' girl in da painting over yonder. Makes me wonder how ya ain't got yerself trapped as well."

"For your information, I _did_ get trapped in my own painting! It's all thanks to your boss and her self-proclaimed, egomaniac king of the Boos! But I'm free because of my ghost-hunting partner! Except you sent him to the bottom of the tank! And I'm gonna get him out of there if it's the last thing I do!"

"I reckon da last thing that'll happen to ya will be joinin' his fate. Besides, he's probably already dead," Clem sneered at her.

"Don't even say that!" rebuked Daisy.

"Hehehe! He's likely lost all of his breath by now! Even if ya drain da water, he'll be unable to resuscitate! Dat's what he gets for disturbin' my peace!"

Polterkitty watched from behind as Daisy and Colombo glared at the mechanic. She didn't need a second brain to know how determined yet incensed they were.

"So, whatcha gonna do about it, sissy? Y'all can't possibly stop me if I was able to outwit dat stupid plumber!"

Out of impulse, Daisy released a quick flash of the Strobulb, and she grunted when Clem blocked it again. Then, the ghost carried his floaty and dove back into the Main Tank, wading in the water with a cheeky expression.

"Y'all scared to take a dip? Ya ain't gonna defeat me like yer green 'hero'! Git ready to suffer da same pain as him!"

"We'll see about that!" Daisy scowled as she blew up a duck raft for herself.

At the moment, Colombo remained on the outer ring of the tank as he waited for Clem to get launched into the spikes. All he hoped was for Daisy to understand how to stun him first. But first, she learned how to suck and blow air to navigate her inner tube away from the mines and spikes. Being the fast learner that she was, Daisy was prepared to finish what her partner started.

"You might as well give in before I make you pay for nearly killing my man!"

"Pfft! I ain't intimidated by yer peppy belligerence!" Clem snarled as he tossed a pair of mines at Daisy.

She veered away in time to dodge the explosive weapons. As they blinked red, she envisioned how Luigi was able to fight him beforehand. With the aid of Colombo, he gestured to Daisy to lure him close to the mines. That's exactly what she did to start off. Unfortunately, Clem already knew better.

"Foolish idiot! Just because y'all are making me paddle to the mines doesn't mean I'm gonna blow myself up!"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo quickly signaled with his paw and swiped it across twice with force. Then, he ran around in circles before slowing down with a dizzy expression. Immediately after that, he propelled himself forward, flew up in the air, and landed on the metal floor with all four legs spread out.

"Da heck is dat dumb pooch up to? If he's here to impress, I ain't givin' him a bone for a treat!" he smacked his paper fan in his hand.

The princess replayed the visual clues Colombo exhibited and tried to translate it into her brain. If she was correct, the way Luigi fought him was to have Clem swing at her. If he missed, he could make himself woozy by gyrating in the water. Then, she could shoot his inflatable raft with her Poltergust towards the spiky border. Once the plan was set up, Daisy was prepared to take action.

She sailed away from the fresh set of mines Clem hurled into the water. For a moment, she kept herself steady in one place far away from the bombs. Clem saw his open opportunity to attack. As he raised his fan in the air, Daisy propelled backward to make him miss once. She swiftly stopped before her inner tube got popped.

"Ha ha! Missed me!" she taunted by pulling her right eyelid down and sticking out her tongue.

"Fer a princess like yerself, ya don't have proper manners or poise!"

"I may be a princess by blood, but for the past few days, including tonight, I'm a ghostbuster! And you should reconsider your last statement. You're saying that I don't have manners? You're the one trying to hit a woman!"

Clem was about to retort, but instead he grumbled in frustration as he couldn't make a comeback. Colombo yapped in encouragement while Polterkitty remained silent, observing the tomboy. As she's risking her own life to save the one she was instructed to assault, something in her heart told her to actually cheer for Daisy. Nonetheless, she didn't meow.

Daisy got into a safe spot in the water as Clem dabbled his tail towards her. He attempted to strike her again, despite what Daisy mentioned earlier. Unfortunately for him, she escaped with her vacuum. He made himself dizzy again as his inner tube rotated. Even worse, he made contact with one of the mines. Losing control, it exploded near Clem as he went flying across the tank. Daisy didn't have to launch him into the spikes herself as the mine did the job for her. Clem landed harshly on the outer ring.

"Booyah! Now let's finally get this over with!"

Colombo went over to pin him down so he wouldn't escape. Daisy returned to the ladder and climbed out. As she scurried over to Clem, she charged her flashlight and warned Colombo to move. After obeying her, Daisy released the Strobulb and stunned Clem. The ghost started screaming as his health depleted from the Poltergust 5000's suction power.

"Bah! How... am I about... to lose to someone like ya?!" he wheezed.

With another glare, the princess simply responded, "Because I learned from the best."

Another squeal came out of Clem's mouth as he failed to get himself away from the nozzle. He got trapped in the 5000 before a flock of rubber ducks squeaked out and landed in the water. Then, her vacuum shook and the elevator button flew over the tank, plummeting all the way to the bottom. It landed next to the sunken plumber. Daisy didn't spend any time celebrating as she ran to the lever. She tried pulling it down with her hands since she didn't have the Suction Shot ability. But it was too heavy to for her.

"Ugh! God, this is hard! I might need some extra power."

Daisy turned towards the portrait of Princess Peach. With her Dark-Light Device, she shined the rainbow spectrum at the frame until the woman in pink emerged.

"Whoa!" she floated for a bit before landing safely on her heels. "Oh my... Being stuck in there was like an eternal prison! I now understand how Mario feels."

"Um, hello?" Daisy waved a hand in front of her face as Colombo and Polterkitty joined her.

Peach shook her head and widened her eyes in surprise. "Daisy! I'm so glad you're here. From the painting, I wasn't able to move, but I did see you come out from the vent! I can't believe you're here! But how did-"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, bestie. I'll explain later! Help me pull this switch _now_!"

Peach didn't comprehend for a second until she remembered about Luigi. "Oh, dear! You're right!"

The princesses used all of their might to get it in the 'down' position. They managed to achieve their goal, watching the water level decrease dramatically. The Polterpup was the first to move as he dove from the top. Polterkitty mirrored his jump as she landed beside him. Daisy and Peach hurried to the ladder, climbing down as fast as possible. They were met with Luigi's lifeless body on the cold floor. Peach had her hands over her mouth, tears threatening to fill her eyes. Daisy's eyes were also watering. She leaned over her man, shaking his shoulders.

"Luigi... Luigi, answer me, please!" she begged.

"Ruff!" Colombo anxiously whined.

"Luigi, you can't die on me now! You've come this far to save your friends, and we can't afford to lose you!"

There was no response from him, making everyone more apprehensive.

"Come on, this isn't a joke! Wake up, Luigi!" the tears dropped, ruining her makeup.

"Luigi..." Peach also released a few tears. She joined Daisy's side and placed a hand over his heart. When she felt something faint, she pressed her ear against his torso. "D-Daisy... I hear it beating."

The tomboy laid her own ear over his heart. She also felt it. It was arrhythmic, but still beating.

"I did learn CPR a while ago, so I'm going to try to revive him."

Getting her situated, Daisy asked Peach to help remove the G-00 off his back. Once he was flat on the ground, she placed her hands over his torso and began compressions. After the first set, she gave Luigi two rescue breaths. She repeated the process, desperate to bring him back to life. As she continued, Peach and Colombo gave each other frightened looks. Polterkitty remained in her spot, watching Daisy throughout the procedure.

A few more rescue breaths later, Luigi's body recoiled. Daisy leaned back to give him some space. Then, he started coughing uncontrollably. His entire body rose up and down as he kept hacking up water. Eventually, it occurred less often as the man sluggishly opened his eyes. From his blurry vision, he saw a dim room with limited lighting. Above him were four heads staring at him. He blinked repeatedly until his eyesight returned to normal. The first person he saw was the Sarasaland princess.

"D-Daisy?" he stuttered with a cough in between. "I-Is... that you?"

The woman didn't directly reply as she leaned down and planted her lips over his. Instead of a rescue breath, she kissed him passionately, relieved that he was fortuitously alive. As she released, Luigi's cheeks blushed.

"Of course it's me, you silly goose," she finally answered.

A light chuckle came from Luigi until he winced in pain. "Ooh, I don't feel so good."

Daisy adjusted herself and removed Luigi's cap. She rested his head in her lap so he had something to lean on other than the metal panels. "Then we won't force you to get up just yet. I was so worried about you when we saw the footage of Clem dropping you in the water."

"Yeah, even I saw it from my painting," added Peach.

Luigi didn't realize she was there until she spoke up. "P-Princess... P-Peach?"

The blonde nodded at him. "You're okay, Luigi, and so am I. Daisy was able to get me out."

"I believe that," he sighed. "She is the other one with a Dark-Light Device."

Peach giggled a little. "I'm just happy you're alive after King Boo and Hellen kidnapped us."

"Well, it's not fair for you since you had to deal with Bowser all the time. I knew I had to rescue you. But I couldn't have done it without Daisy."

The orange princess brushed her hands in his auburn hair. "And I wouldn't have been saved if it weren't for you."

"Ruff!" Colombo concurred before gently licking Luigi's nose.

Everyone laughed except Polterkitty. She still hadn't moved from her spot. Every now and then, she fixed her eyes from the man in green to the elevator button. She could've taken it by now like the last two times and prevent them from advancing up The Last Resort.

But for the first time, Polterkitty was worried about Luigi.

He suffered a life-threatening situation that nearly cost him his life. She had her share of tormenting him, and in those cases, she could've killed him as well. Technically, Hellen wanted Luigi alive so that King Boo could imprison him in a painting for good. Regardless, Luigi had faced so many ghosts in twelve of the seventeen floors so far. It was coming to a head that something was destined to take his life away. However, his perseverance, along with the assistance of Daisy and Colombo, have helped him this far to rescue all of his friends. The only ones remaining were Yellow Toad and Mario.

For Polterkitty, she already chose to provide Daisy a shortcut to the Main Tank and save her man. Taking that into consideration with all of the niceties Daisy provided her recently, in addition to Hellen's undeniably frequent tantrums, she was going to play it out for now and stick with the heroes. Unless she's convinced otherwise, Polterkitty stayed put to disobey her owner.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_That marks the end of Part 2 of the Boilerworks. From the start, I wanted this to be a Daisy-centric chapter to not only focus on her coping with Polterkitty, but to also have her rescue Luigi. Just from my experience with the boss fight made me brainstorm this plot out. Therefore, I put him in a perilous scenario, and this isn't the first time I've done this. Plus, the air duct situation was improvised by me to give Daisy a different route into the Main Tank. Either way, I hope I wrote her well in this chapter._

_As for good news, Luigi is alive and Peach is out of her painting! Obviously, it's different compared to the game, but I already mentioned this before. As for her status, I'll save that for later. But what will happen next to our heroes? And will Polterkitty's decision to stick with Daisy and the others backfire?_

_Lastly, happy October, everyone. Just three months away until we're done with this hellhole of a year. Regardless, I appreciate the support on this story from the very beginning. Hotel Horror has reached over **50,000 hits** and **300 reviews**! You guys are awesome, and I can't thank you enough!_

_Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter done by Halloween as it'll be the one-year anniversary of Luigi's Mansion 3 and this fanfiction. If I don't get it done in time, it'll be because of my outside life with online school and work. Regardless, I hope you all take care. Let me know if I made any errors and what your thoughts are on this chapter or the boss fight. Follow/Favorite for more upcoming chapters. Anyway, I'll see you next time in Ch. 25 of HH! This is TGN, signing off._


	26. Ch 25: A Quagmire with Bogmire

_A/N:__ Based on how I'm structuring the remaining floors of the game, this story is likely going to be 40 chapters; that includes the prologue from the start with an epilogue to conclude. Unfortunately, we won't reach Floor 10 until Ch. 27 as we last saw our heroes in the Main Tank. Luigi had a near-death experience with water, but Daisy was able to rescue him as well as Princess Peach. But their time in the Boilerworks won't end from here... (Unfortunately, the chapter title sort of spoils the plot, but I couldn't resist **not** using it.)_

* * *

_Disclaimer:__ Anything owned or copyrighted by Nintendo belongs to them, duh._

* * *

**Chapter 25:** A Quagmire with Bogmire

_Location: 15F – Master Suite_

Hellen had lost control of her mind very frequently that every time her staff members heard her vent, the more petrified they became. Cringing to themselves, they witnessed their boss throw another tantrum as she witnessed everything from her Observation Room. From Luigi nearly drowning because of Clem's questionable motives to Daisy extricating him and Peach from her painting, she was more than irate. What was also insulting was the fact that Polterkitty had been with the heroes this entire time.

"Despicable! Ungrateful! Completely repugnant!"

The hotel owner swiveled her chair and slammed her fists on the table, causing everything to shake and topple. When her prized King Boo knickknack was about to fall, she panicked and hurried over to catch it in midair. Sighing in relief, Hellen gently placed it back on her desk. Not even two seconds later, however, the employees' faces grimaced as she began yelling again.

"That stupid mechanic _deserved_ to get sucked up by that spunky princess! What was Clem thinking? He wanted to drown that cowardly plumber?! He's supposed to be brought here so King Boo can officially trap him for eternity! Does he not understand that I'm his employer?! That he should listen to _my_ orders?!"

While she wasn't paying attention, a Golden Ghost scurried out of the vault to escape from her excessive rant. The other ghosts in their hotel attire remained still as they were also getting tired of her hysteria. They did their best not to express annoyance.

"If I have to watch them advance to the next level, then so help me..." Her fingers curled that her nails started to carve into her desk. "Get down there and bring him to me! And get my precious Polterkitty back while you're at it!"

The employees quickly exited the Observation Room, partially relieved that they don't have to hear from Hellen anytime soon. Nevertheless, being treated this way was starting to get on their nerves.

Sitting back down in her chair, Hellen Gravely returned to her television monitors, narrowing her eyes as the camera panned at the limp plumber. She then gazed over at the feline who sat a few feet away from the heroes.

"Polterkitty... Do you dare betray your owner? Or do you have something conniving in mind to save for later?"

The purple ghost had no clue what her intentions were, but she eventually cooled off, resting her head against the cushion. Taking a deep breath, she clenched her fists and closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"In the case that Luigi does reach my penthouse, if Polterkitty doesn't put a stop in his tracks, she'll wish she remained all alone and helpless in the dumpster."

From the outside of her vault, King Boo became more agitated than ever. He heard everything from where he floated. Groaning to himself, he wandered around the silent hallways of the Master Suite. His purple eyes glowed with his jeweled crown, an intimidating shine illuminating the floor with an eerie presence.

"Hrrgh... At this point, Hellen has already committed at least three strikes, yet I keep letting her get away with it. While my patience is running thin, she keeps making up excuses for why I don't have Luigi in my grasp. Sooner or later, she's going to either get what I desire or pay the price."

King Boo hoped it wasn't the second option, yet her incompetence was driving him up a wall. The king figured he needed a long, ghostly nap to rejuvenate his spirit. Even to this day, King Boo wondered if leaving Hellen up to the task would be worth the wait or if it was the worst possible thing to do.

* * *

_Location: B2 – Boilerworks_

The sound of water draining from the pipe was the only noise the heroes listened to as they rested at the base of the Main Tank. Luigi's head remained in Daisy's lap after he nearly drowned. Peach was kind enough to remove the weight and rope off his leg while looking over the man in green.

"Luigi? Are you feeling any better?" the blonde woman kneeled close to him.

His chest rose for a bit as he breathed in heavily. Once he released a long exhale, his fluttering eyelids slightly opened halfway. "I'm still exhausted," he answered frankly.

"I don't blame you. After the situation you were put into, I would need some time to recover if I was in your shoes. Maybe if my remedial powers work, I can replenish your health."

"Y-You don't have to do that. I mean, you just got out of a painting recently, and it's a little difficult to get a hold of your surroundings after being confined. It's happened to Mario twice already."

"I appreciate your concern, Luigi, but I'm fine! I don't feel too disoriented since Daisy released me. The least I can do is return the favor – for all of you."

Peach placed her hands over her heart, shutting her eyes tightly as she prayed. A boost of pink energy emerged as it shined over Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo. They felt a burst of vitality coursing through their bodies. It only took a few seconds for the mustached man to absorb her healing powers, his muscles loosening up from the tension he endured from Clem. The sustaining aura felt like Luigi had another weight lifted off of his body. Raising his head from Daisy's lap, he sat up with his arms extended behind his back. Luigi slowly regained his focus, blinking every now and then as Peach observed his blue pupils.

"Are you okay now?"

Luigi gave her a grateful smile. "Your powers never fail to impress me. Thank you, Peach."

"You're welcome. I'm so happy you're alive, too. I just can't believe our vacation got ruined though! When you said that invitation you received felt like a hoax, I was more entranced about the idea of staying at a lovely hotel. I wish we weren't so naive now that we know the truth."

"Hey, bestie," Daisy got her attention, "you aren't the only ones who got duped. Professor E. Gadd and I also got the gullible treatment!"

"Oh, that reminds me. How did you get here? Can I finally know the answer to that?"

"Well, I'm sure you were aware that I was supposed to have a royal meeting in my kingdom. But then I received a fancy invite to The Last Resort since the letter said that it was 'relocated' for no apparent reason," she air quoted in irritation. "I was too enticed by the words 'free vacation' that I let the thought slip over my head. Afterward, Hellen and King Boo revealed their true plot and placed me in a picture frame. Thankfully, Luigi found me in the Mezzanine's supply closet. Then, we rescued E. Gadd and ventured through the hotel to kick some ghost butt!"

"Is that true?" Peach marveled, turning to Luigi for confirmation.

The plumber nodded with confidence. "She's been helping me from the beginning. It was at least until Colombo and I went off to explore the ninth floor and the Boilerworks while Daisy watched Polterkitty."

"Polterkitty?" the woman in pink quickly glanced over at the feline, her head resting on top of her front paws. "Are you talking about her?"

"Yeah. And would you believe that she's technically evil?"

"Evil? What do you mean? She looks completely harmless."

"She is now," Daisy clarified. "But earlier, she stole a few elevator buttons from our travels and attacked Luigi multiple times."

"Oh my goodness!" Peach gasped. "Why in the world would she do such a thing?"

"Because she's Hellen's pet."

The last statement registered in her head. Peach went back and forth between her friends and the miserable kitten. Polterkitty slightly turned her head so that she wouldn't face the others.

"Whenever she was stunned by our flashlights or got angry, she would turn into a large monster, like a tiger or puma waiting to attack its prey. Luigi managed to snag a jewel necklace around her neck and smashed it. Apparently, it was the power source that allowed her to alter into her beast form. Since then, she became unconscious, and we brought her back to E. Gadd. I agreed to stay behind and look after her while Luigi and Colombo continued looking for the elevator buttons to advance through the hotel. The next thing I know, Colombo came back and warned us about Clem drowning Luigi. I had to act quickly, and we got here just in time to suck him up and drain the water."

"Oh, my..." Peach laid a hand on her cheek. "Do you at least know where Mario is?"

Luigi shifted his head, peering down at the metal floor. "I haven't seen him since the night King Boo and Hellen invaded our suites. I only remember seeing all of you in paintings before escaping down the laundry chute. We did rescue Red and Blue Toad. But Yellow and Mario have yet to be found."

Peach truly wished she didn't hear that kind of answer, but it was quite expected knowing how King Boo's dirty tricks have helped him catch her special one in the past. To learn that Mario was still captive saddened her. Time and time again, he was always there to rescue her from Bowser and many other threats. Peach had the experience of knowing what it's like to be abducted that she never wanted it to happen to any of her friends. In this case, she was grateful that Luigi survived, but the red-clad hero was somewhere in the haunted lodge.

The princess knew how close the plumbers were from the get-go. Individually, they each had their own strengths and weaknesses. When together, however, they were a well-oiled machine with a brotherly link – something so strong and special that it was damn near impossible to break. Every time they became separated, a flame lit within their hearts, burning with determination, to reunite with each other no matter what stood in their way. One wasn't complete without the other.

For Luigi, specifically, he couldn't bear losing the person who has been his family for his entire life. It was the main reason why he conquered his fears to save the one who meant everything to him.

He was practically irreplaceable. He was his brother, for the Star Spirits' sake.

During the moment of silence, Daisy scooched closer to her lover and massaged his shoulders, relieving some stress. Sulking from her touch, Luigi deeply sighed as he felt like putty for a split second. Eventually, he came to his senses and wiped his watering eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Luigi," Peach finally spoke. "I know how much Mario means to you. But I'm sure we can bring him back from Hellen and King Boo's clutches."

"Me too. It's just a matter of time, patience, and perseverance to find the remaining buttons and climb further up the hotel." He soon got up on his feet and ambled over to the new one dropped by Clem. The button had a **'10'** inscribed in the center. Securing it in his pocket, he deeply exhaled as thoughts of Mario drifted in his mind. "We can't waste any more time. We have to keep going."

"Not so fast, Luigi," Daisy stopped him. "You just got out of a near-death situation, and it's very late at night right now. The least we can do is refresh ourselves and sleep in before moving onto the next level."

"Arf!" Colombo thought her plan was smart, especially for his owner's well-being.

"Ooh, if I'll be honest, I've been out of my painting for nearly a half-hour, and I'm already exhausted!" Peach followed up with a long yawn. "We're not going to stay here and rest, are we?"

"Heck no," the tomboy shook her head. "We should return to the RIP Suites where your rooms are. But first, we should at least deposit the ghosts we've caught recently. Plus, I'm certain the professor and the Toads would be excited to see you."

"Well, I guess we better make our way there. Since you know more about this hotel, I don't want to hold you back. I'll just follow behind and make sure I don't get kidnapped again... for the umpteenth time."

As Luigi took a moment to make sure he wasn't dizzy, he nodded at his friends, indicating that he was going to be alright. He led everyone out of the Main Tank. The last ones to leave were Colombo and Polterkitty as they teleported through the vault door. They climbed down the ladder and were about to head through the Waterworks. However, Luigi had trouble pushing the door. With all of his might, he couldn't get it to budge. Daisy went over to lean and help him but to no avail.

"Ugh! Why can't we open this door?"

"Is there something blocking it?" Daisy scratched her head.

Colombo jumped through the wall and discovered the answer to their problem. He found a large Hammer ghost snoozing in front of the doorway. The Polterpup barked loudly in hopes of waking him up. To his surprise, he kept snoring away.

"I wonder what's taking him so long," Peach tilted her head.

Not even three seconds later, Colombo returned and imitated the Hammer, explaining that their easy path to the elevator was blocked.

"Oh, come on!" Luigi whined. "If we can't get the Hammer to move, then we're gonna be stuck here forever!"

Soon, the ringtone on the Virtual Boo played. Since E. Gadd explained earlier that it was waterproof, it didn't suffer any damage. Luigi placed the goggles on his face, watching the professor pop up on the red screen.

"Luigi! Oh my heavens! You're alive and well!"

"Yes, I am, thanks to Daisy and Colombo."

"We were so worried about you all!" Red cried.

"Yeah! We thought you were gonna be a goner from that water. Thank the Star Spirits that they came to the rescue in time!" said Blue.

"I figured I wanted to check up on you since I heard that you were about to head back. Did you mention something about your pathway being obstructed?"

"Yeah. Colombo pointed out that a large ghost is sleeping there," Peach explained.

"Hey, was that Princess Peach?!"

"There's no doubt about it! I knew we saw her painting from the camera shot!"

"Princess! It's a pleasure to hear from you," E. Gadd smiled. "I hope those ghosts didn't harm you at all."

"Thanks for your concern as well. Trust me though, I'm alright. I'm more worried about Luigi and Daisy after what they've been through."

"Nevertheless, we're all glad to know you're okay. That means Yellow Toad and Mario are the only ones of your friend group who are still trapped in King Boo's paintings."

"Yeah, don't remind us," groaned Daisy.

"We need to find a way to get to the Boilerworks' elevator if we want to get out of this stinky hellhole. If we can't move the ghost, what other options do we have?!" queried Luigi.

E. Gadd placed a hand on his chin. "Hrmm... Quite the pickle you fellers are in, huh? You might have to find another way around the Boilerworks to reach the elevator."

"What other ways can we explore though? I seriously doubt we're going to find a secret pathway or something."

A light bulb shined in Daisy's head. "Not necessarily. Polterkitty showed us a secret vent that led from the Reservoir to the Main Tank. That's how we got inside and fought Clem."

"Are you insinuating that you're going to rely on the cat for directions?" Red asked in a doubtful tone. Hearing it from the microphone made Polterkitty hiss as her reaction.

"Listen, I still don't fully trust Polterkitty after what we had to deal with. But she helped us get here. Otherwise, Luigi wouldn't be breathing right now."

The green plumber shuddered. "I don't want flashbacks going through my memories, Daisy."

"Sorry. What I'm trying to say is that if we were able to use a secret passage in the Boilerworks, maybe we could uncover another that'll lead us back to the elevator."

"It does seem plausible. We might as well try!" encouraged Peach.

"This might be a random guess out of nowhere, but maybe you should retrace your steps to the Drainage Control. At least the water is completely gone so you don't have to float on those rubber ducks again," declared E. Gadd.

"I guess that's one place to explore. The only thing I hope is that we won't find a dead end," Luigi articulated.

"Good luck, lads! We believe in you!"

"Try not to get caught by any new ghosts!" yelled Red Toad.

"Thanks for the advice," Luigi rolled his eyes before taking off the goggles.

"Considering that the only places in the hotel I've been in are the lobby, my bedroom, and here, I'm clueless as to where this Drainage Control is located," Peach frowned.

"Don't worry. Colombo and I remember where to go. We went to the door up there. I think we can reach it if we pull that ladder down to us."

"Ruff!" Colombo was already a step ahead as he floated to the upper platform and pushed the retractable rungs downward.

"Alright then. Let's get a move on!" Daisy beckoned as she was the first to climb.

"Ladies first," Luigi gestured.

Peach thanked him as she trailed behind her friend. Once she reached the top, Luigi was the last one while Polterkitty jumped up, nearly landing on his head. Her sudden appearance made him recoil. He didn't make a comment about it, but he kept a relative distance from the feline. For Polterkitty, she did the same while also being mindful around the others. Colombo had a questionable look on his face as he remained skeptical. Pushing their thoughts aside, the group ventured into the sewers.

* * *

Around the corner of Sewers A and B, Peach spotted a large chest and wondered what was inside. However, she froze when a miscellany of bubbles floated in front of her. They were similar to the Spirit Balls that King Boo and his minions used, but they had a violet sheen instead of white. When they disappeared into the chest, she and the others were met with a scary surprise.

"ROAR!" the chest boomed as it became possessed in front of them.

"Yipe! What the hell?!" Luigi yelled.

"Criminy!" E. Gadd witnessed the scene from his monitors. "I've never seen Spirit Balls like those before! Normally, they would make objects vanish!"

"But these make non-living things sentient! It's about to eat us!" Peach ran behind Luigi for protection. Meanwhile, Polterkitty and Colombo hid behind Daisy's legs.

"This reminds me of Mario dealing with that creepy, killer piano in Big Boo's Haunt..." Luigi shivered.

"Oh, great! There are paranormal gates ahead of us!" complained Daisy. "We can't get past them unless we kill this chest, if that's even possible!"

Luigi cautiously crept towards the coffer, hoping to stun it with his flashlight. It proved to be ineffective as it jumped towards the plumber, nearly chomping the left button of his overalls. Colombo barked twice at him, indicating to eject Gooigi out of his tank.

"Good idea! If that T-Rex was hungry to devour Gooigi, I can use him for this chest, too!"

"A T-Rex? Is that close to the one Mario and Cappy took control of in the Cascade Kingdom?" Peach furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's a long story. You might want to back up, Princess."

Peach listened to his command and gave him some space. She was quickly surprised to see a green figure spill out from the Poltergust G-00, transforming into the doppelganger.

"Wow... So, this is Gooigi?"

"Yeah, except it's technically Luigi controlling Gooigi, if that makes sense," Daisy elucidated.

"Controlling?"

**"Yeah. E. Gadd programmed the Poltergust G-00 to make the person wearing it have his or her conscience transferred into this body,"** Gooigi spoke out loud. **"Meanwhile, my own body is in a deep sleep. But it's not like I was truly unconscious like before."**

Peach jumped a little, not expecting to hear a voice from him. "I _really_ need to catch up on what I missed! But if you know what you're doing, I trust you. Just please be careful."

Gooigi nodded as he slowly approached the incensed chest. Once he was in range, the possessed object didn't hesitate to open its mouth and chomp on the gooey plumber. Peach was shocked to see him disintegrate in a matter of seconds that she was about to call out Luigi's name in despair. However, the man in green woke up as the monster's teeth had trouble chewing as the goo got stuck in the gums.

"Now's your chance! If these Spirit Balls are anywhere close to the normal ones, maybe shining your Dark-Light Devices would be sufficient!" said E. Gadd.

"Maybe that'll get it out of a possessed state!" Luigi construed. "Help me out, Daisy!"

"You betcha!"

The two rushed forward and glowed their rainbow-colored lights at the struggling chest. Once it was completely blinded, the purple Spirit Balls exuded out. Luigi immediately sucked up all five of them. The chest was no longer alive, much to everyone's relief. Additionally, the gates disappeared, clearing the next sewer.

"Great job, you two! Or rather, three if you count Gooigi," Peach giggled. Colombo barked in appreciation while Polterkitty remained silent.

The gooey man gave a thumbs-up before he returned to the vacuum's container. "Now that you caught a glimpse of Gooigi, let's move on. The Drainage Control is down this sewer and all the way to the far left. Hopefully, we'll find an exit there."

Before they got any further, they momentarily paused when they encountered some more ghosts of Hellen's staff. A party consisting of an Oozer, a Hammer, a Slinker, and a Sneaker were nothing new to Luigi or Daisy. But what caught them off guard was a random bomb rolling across the concrete, nearly detonating in front of the heroes. Up ahead, a Bowling Ghost cackled as he prepared to hurl another explosive at them. With him being a threat, Luigi hurried over to suck up the Bowling Ghost so that he wouldn't attack his friends.

Daisy struggled to keep the others at bay since the Hammer wouldn't stop creating shockwaves. The Slinker and Sneaker also kept creeping up behind the princesses, trying to freak them out. While Daisy was mostly unfazed, Peach couldn't help but shriek. Then, she pulled out her parasol and began wailing it around. She barely got a piece of the Slinker as he groaned out loud.

"I didn't know you had your umbrella with you this whole time," Luigi blinked.

"No matter where I go, I always keep my trusty parasol with me for safety purposes! Since I can't catch ghosts, I might as well defend myself! I don't want to stand around and be the damsel in distress again!"

"That's the fighting spirit!" Daisy pumped her fist while smirking. "Let's teach these bozos a lesson not to mess with us!"

Colombo went over to the Hammer and began pulling on one of the tails with his teeth. The Hammer couldn't move very much as he failed to pry the Polterpup off. Luigi joined beside his pet and grabbed the remaining one with his hose. They synchronized their swings to slam the large, red ghost onto the floor while avoiding the princesses and Polterkitty.

Peach opened her umbrella the second before the Oozer could throw a banana peel at her. She didn't waste any time as she took a swing at him like she was hitting a baseball. The Oozer was conked out as he fell in between the Sneaker and the Slinker. Daisy had the perfect opportunity to get a three-for-one special. Shining her Strobulb at the victims, the tomboy turned on the suction and grabbed all of their tails. With her gauge fully powered, she walloped them into the nearby walls until they were finally gone. Once again, the pathway was clear for the team to progress.

Throughout that whole time, Polterkitty witnessed their remarkable teamwork while she sat on the sidelines. She felt quite useless that she didn't help them at all. Then again, the cat only assisted Daisy and Polterpup once while she primarily put a target on her back for trying to please her ghostly owner. For now, she figured the best thing she should do is stay quiet and follow them. Only when the situation was right or dire would she choose to aid them.

* * *

By the time they reached the Drainage Control, Peach was the first to notice the open water gate on the far left.

"Hey, does that look like a secret exit to you?"

"That was the passage Clem blocked for the water to flood," Luigi pointed out. "Since we got rid of the rising levels, Colombo and I never bothered to explore over there."

"I guess that's the best place to start then!" uttered Daisy.

The only thing that could stop them was a brick wall. Ironically, that was literally what they encountered upon entering the dark, dank hallway. From 100 to 0, Daisy lost her enthusiasm.

"Oh, great! So much for this so-called shortcut!"

"Do you think we should go back and try pushing on that door harder?" Peach suggested.

While Luigi was vacillating, Polterkitty hopped forward and pushed her paws against the bricks. To her surprise, they weren't as sturdy as they all anticipated. She managed to push one very slightly. Colombo noticed what she was doing, tilting his head in curiosity. Pushing his trust issues away, he decided to join her. The two ghostly animals used all of their force as the brick wall crumbled apart. The three humans shifted their heads towards the collapsing partition.

"Whoa. I didn't think that would break easily," Luigi murmured.

"And there's a door on the other side!" Peach exclaimed as she ran forward. She immediately stopped when she realized a new problem. "Oh, dear. There isn't a handle to pull it open. I don't think we can push through it either."

"It's like this place is full of inconveniences, one after another," Daisy groaned. "I don't care if I have to repeat myself again, but can't we have another carefree level like the Paranormal Productions?"

Colombo inspected the hall before turning up at the open shafts above them. His instinct told him to hover up there and investigate. To his delight, he found a spare valve in the middle of a pile of trash. Grabbing it with his mouth, he returned to his friends and handed it off to Luigi. The plumber smiled and rubbed his head.

"Good boy! That was a nice find!"

"Ruff! Ruff!"

Polterkitty was envious considering she was the one who started pushing the bricks to reveal the door. Even worse for her, she watched the plumber and the dog rejoice after the latter found what they needed to advance.

"To think that we were going to be stuck down here. But maybe we're onto something. And you were the one who started toying with the bricks. That was pretty smart of you, not gonna lie," Daisy complimented. The kitten stared back in awe before turning her head away.

Luigi went over and placed the wheel onto the door. With the suction power, he turned the valve clockwise until the 'unlock' symbol was lit up. The man pulled the vault door open, leading them into the Old Reservoir. They all stood on some metal scaffolding, adjacent to another L-shaped bridge. From a distance, they spotted a lonely platform that led to a door. When Luigi checked his map, he realized that the door led them to the underside of the Waterworks – the same room where the Hammer was blocking the passage.

"We're in the right direction! All we have to do is reach that door!"

"So, how do we even get there?" wondered Peach.

"There's a two-way bridge over there. We have to move it so that one of the pathways connects to the platform on the other side. This is similar to the one in the first Reservoir that we were in. I had to alternate between myself and Gooigi to spin a motor for the bridge to rotate."

"If that's the case, then we have to find a motor somewhere in this room," deduced Daisy.

As they headed down the ladder, the gang was met with a bunch of miscellaneous items. Barrels, tarps, magazines, broken bricks, and various paint cans were scattered everywhere. Before Luigi could search for the motor, he felt Gooigi's vibrations from the vacuum. Peach also noticed the goo moving vigorously within the glass.

"What's going on with your vacuum, Luigi?"

"That's coming from Gooigi. E. Gadd said that he planted a tracker that can detect any Boos nearby."

"So basically, there's one hiding in here?"

"Unless Gooigi is trying to give me another kind of signal, it's likely possible."

The vibration became stronger as Luigi and the others strolled up to the alcove in the northern part of the room. Colombo went ahead of them and was suspicious that the Boo was hiding somewhere near the buckets of paint. He kicked the cans, splattering colors all over the nearby walls like a bunch of squid kids in a turf war. Suddenly, everyone noticed a strange anomaly. The back wall was covered in a mix of green, orange, and purple paint. But in the middle was a silhouette of something spherical with stubby arms protruding from each side.

There was no doubt about who was hiding in the nook.

"BOO!"

"WAAAAH!" Luigi shrieked, dropping his flashlight. He was ashamed that he did that in front of Peach. "S-Sorry if I hurt your eardrums."

"Don't apologize. I've had my fair share of loud screams."

"Uh, guys? Can we focus on the issue right now?!" Daisy reminded them.

"R-Right!" Luigi scrambled down to snag his flashlight.

"Fwooosh! I'm ComBooster! Is it just me, or is it getting pretty steamy in here?" The Boo quickly vanished as he roamed throughout the Old Reservoir.

"How do we defeat him?" asked Peach.

"Luigi and I can uncover him with our Dark-Light Devices since they can help us reveal hidden objects or ghosts. Once he's out in the open, that'll be our chance to retaliate!" explained Daisy.

"I guess I can't really help much here..."

"Ruff!" Colombo thought otherwise as he watched the floor fog up. He guided Peach to look for anything floating through the mist.

"Oh, I didn't think about that. That's very smart of you!"

Since Luigi and Daisy were aiming all around the room with no luck, the pink princess and the Polterpup used their eyes to inspect. Polterkitty chose to stay near Daisy, following the orange maiden.

"How are we having such bad luck finding this Boo?!" she narrowed her eyes.

"Reeee!" Suddenly, ComBooster appeared from the top-right corner and spun his body over towards her. Since her back was facing him, she was unaware until Peach cried out to her.

"Daisy, look out!"

The woman turned around in time and flashed a small strobe of light to stop him momentarily. ComBooster growled as he didn't appreciate the unexpected action.

"I may hate the light most of the time, but I won't let it impede me!"

ComBooster charged at Peach and Colombo, but the princess was able to block herself and the spectral dog with her parasol. The Boo bounced off the cover and rebounded towards Luigi who caught the tongue in his vacuum.

"If you try to take me down, you better watch out for my partner in crime!" he warned.

"Oh, yeah? You and what army?" Daisy teased. "Get this guy out of here!"

Luigi was preparing to slam the Boo into the ground, but he felt something wrap around his foot. He was afraid that Polterkitty was going to somehow revert to her panther figure, but he was surprised to see her cowering against the brick wall. That was when he glimpsed down. Something else purple was holding him back. Then, a sudden bolt of lightning zapped near his shoes. Luigi wasn't able to dodge it as he was hardly capable of moving. He felt a slight sting, right near the leg that Clem attached the weight onto him. Completely restrained, the man panicked as ComBooster's cackles muffled from the hose.

"Luigi, what's wrong?!"

The lack of an answer, followed by the sound of a water droplet pinging on a pipe, made Daisy shudder. ComBooster's laughs didn't help either. Suddenly, the oddity grew into a ghostly shadow that Luigi recognized. Before he even could yell though, it consumed him whole, incarcerating him within his body.

"HELP!" Luigi screamed faintly within.

"Who is that?!" Peach clenched her hands near her chest.

"Hehehe! I'm pretty sure this feller knows him pretty well from his first ghost-hunting experience! It's too bad this will be his last!" taunted ComBooster as he escaped from the G-00.

There was a tall, violet apparition jutting out from a puddle below. His arms stretched out like a bird flapping its wings. With creepy, yellow pupils, he made gurgling noises while a few smaller, black versions of himself formed around him. The clones were disseminated throughout the Old Reservoir.

"Great h—vens!" E. Gadd bellowed from the VB, despite the fact his voice was breaking up. "That's Bogmire! He f-ught Lui-i back in t-e first m—sion! He's kno-n as t-e epitome of the mans-on's fear and d-spair!"

Daisy's eyes widened in fear as she felt this situation was _way_ too similar to what occurred not too long ago. Watching Luigi unable to breathe was one thing. To see his eyes roll back into his head, it terrified her that her heart thumped her ribcage at a rapid rate. There was no doubt what was imminent if she didn't get him out of this new jam. Even Peach and Colombo were just as petrified.

"Don't t—l me th-t L—gi is about to d-e again!" Red Toad cried.

"And h- _just_ got saved f—m drowning! Th— is tot—ly out of con-rol!" Blue dreaded.

"We have to rescue him again!" Daisy growled in determination.

The others narrowed their eyes and got into a fighting position behind the tomboy. Polterkitty, who was once hugging the wall behind her, froze as she witnessed the confrontation in front of her. She saw the heroes to her right. Opposing them were ComBooster and the horde of Bogmires, led by the purple entity who trapped Luigi in his transparent physique.

Polterkitty, once again, decided to side with the ghostbusters. She scurried over to stand beside Colombo and in front of Daisy.

"Lu—i was able to take down Bog—re by s—king up the dark dup-ic-tes and shooting them b—k at him! You already kn-w h-w to def—t the Boo, so t—t should be easy!"

"Were you able to hear that?" wondered Peach.

"Suck the dark ghosts of Bogmire and aim them at his dirty, ugly shadow. If that's what it'll take to save Luigi this time, then I'm ready!"

"I might not be able to help you with that, but I'll defend you with my umbrella!"

"That'll be fine! I can handle it!"

"Ruff! Grr!" Colombo ran around to track ComBooster after he turned invisible again. Polterkitty copied his motive, searching for the sneaky ghoul.

As Bogmire sluggishly drifted across the floor, his dark replicas surrounded the princesses. One of them extended their figures high in the air, attempting to capture them like Bogmire did to Luigi. But little did the ghosts know that Peach was a strategic and technical fighter. Likewise with ComBooster, she timed her defenses perfectly, opening her parasol to push back a pair of Bogmires. Daisy, on the other hand, turned on the suction power to carry a Black Bogmire at the edge of her 5000. As it molded into a spherical ball, she aimed it directly at the purple shadow. Bogmire was enveloped and stuck from the shot.

Gritting her teeth, she got a grasp on Bogmire. "First Clem, now you... I'm here to say that _no one_ messes with me or Luigi!"

Because Bogmire didn't really have a tail to snag, Daisy focused on depleting his health by sucking with her vacuum. The shadow put up a fight as he struggled to escape. He moaned hauntingly as he endured the strong winds pulling him in. Luigi remained immobile inside, his eyes shut with no signs of breathing. She used all of her might to pull Bogmire into her vacuum and release the mustached hero.

Peach continued blocking off the Black Bogmires from interfering with Daisy. Colombo and Polterkitty didn't need to worry too much since they were ghosts. However, both of them had trouble finding ComBooster. They eventually heard Daisy grunt.

"Gah! I was so close! He was just able to pull away!"

Then, Peach tapped her shoulder, pointing to the southwest of the Old Reservoir. "Over there, Daisy! There's movement in the fog! That might be ComBooster!"

Testing to see if she was right, Colombo and Polterkitty hopped over to where she indicated. The Polterpup sniffed for a distinct scent. Next thing he knew, a screech came from the corner and spooked the ghosts – how ironic.

"Get your big nose away from me! What is with you people and large schnozzes?! And tell that dying plumber to get some nasal surgery and shrink it to a normal size!"

"How about you stop nose-shaming my man and get your fat face stuck in my vacuum?!" Daisy snarled with venom.

ComBooster was stunned by the Strobulb that he was unable to respond to her quirk. His tongue got pulled as far as possible before she started whacking him into the floor. Unlike his Boo brethren, he only lasted a single set of slams.

"Gah! I may be down, but I hope Bogmire com-boosts you into smithereens!" the pale ghost sneered before he accepted his destiny.

The second after Daisy trapped the Boo, she felt a cold chill behind her. She turned around and saw Bogmire's body become slimmer. He was tightening the space inside, giving the comatose plumber hardly any room. What's worse was that she could've sworn she saw Luigi choke for a second. Daisy, filled with angst, was too distracted worrying about him that she almost didn't hear Peach screaming at her.

"Daisy! Pay attention!"

Shaking her head, the tomboy was surprised to see some Black Bogmires creep closer to her. Peach was by her side to block one of them, but the other was mere inches away.

Then, everyone witnessed another unexpected moment.

"MROW!"

Polterkitty reached her claws at the dark shadow and slashed the figure in its midsection, destroying it entirely. She did it while looking like the innocent animal she was before Hellen adopted her. Not only that, the kitten got rid of the other Black Bogmire by grazing its back.

"You're... you're helping us again?" Daisy asked in disbelief. Colombo and Peach blinked in confusion, too.

Polterkitty wasn't grinning in happiness, nor were her azure pupils gleaming in ire. Like before, she was indifferent. If anything, she softly meowed and pointed her paw at Luigi. Her signal brought Daisy back to reality.

"Oh, right! Hang on, Weege!"

She sucked up a separate Black Bogmire and shot it at the purple shadow before he could suffocate Luigi even further. Debilitated for a second time, Bogmire lost his grip. His body was effortless to pull on, causing him to let Luigi go. Daisy was dragged across for a split second that she had to jump over Luigi's body. The momentum made her collide into an unstable wall of bricks. It collapsed and revealed the motor that was attached to the rotating bridge. With Daisy fighting the pain, she prevailed and drained all of his health. Once he was trapped, the Black Bogmires disappeared.

Abruptly, her vacuum started shaking. A bright, bulky device flew out of the Poltergust 5000 and landed in the center. But she couldn't care less about the new collectible or the scrape marks on her lower arms. She kneeled next to the poor man in green. His shirt and overalls were tattered and wrinkled from Bogmire's restraints. Again, she felt his heart beating very faintly. Yet the fact that she nearly lost him _twice_ in the span of an hour almost drove her to the breaking point.

"L-Luigi..." her voice croaked, refraining to let tears form in her eyes. Peach, Colombo, and Polterkitty joined her side as they observed the fallen man. While the former two were just as anxious, the feline couldn't help but reciprocate the same feeling. She even hated to see Daisy's face full of sorrow.

"We have to take him back to E. Gadd's lab immediately, wherever that is," Peach established.

Sniffling, Daisy dried her eyes and nodded. "It's in the Basement which is the floor directly above us. As long as we get to the elevator fast, that's all that matters. We gotta get the hell out of here."

Colombo nudged Luigi's arm in hopes of earning a response from him. Whining deeply, he was visibly upset when he didn't move a muscle.

"I can carry him," offered Peach.

"And I'll try to fix this bridge. _Please stay with us, Luigi. I really can't lose you._"

Before the blonde in pink lifted him off the ground, she inspected the strange tool that Bogmire dropped after he got sucked in. "Hmm, I wonder what this could be..."

Daisy headed over to the motor and spun the fan with the 5000. Once it was aligned properly, the heroes climbed back up. Peach carefully placed him over her shoulder as she gripped the rungs. Daisy grabbed him momentarily, allowing Peach to get up. With the spectral animals following them, they reached the underside of the Waterworks. Despite trudging through the sewer waters, the girls ignored the disgusting stench as they made their way to another ladder. As they entered the door adjacent to the walkway, Daisy pulled out the Dual Scream to view the map. She realized that they were directly beneath the Boilerworks' elevator.

"Come on! We're almost there!"

"I'm right behind you!" called Peach.

"Arf! Arf!"

Another ladder led them through a metal hatch, and the heroes finally reached the elevator.

"Excellent job, youngsters! Hurry on up to the Basement! I've already got the inflatable sofa cleaned up so we can let him rest there!" said E. Gadd.

"Thanks, Professor," sighed Daisy as she pressed the button.

"I'm grateful that we're out of this dump of a floor," Peach wiped some sweat off her face.

Soon, everyone got inside and awaited the lift to bring them up to B1. Looking up at the green plumber once more, Polterkitty was dealing with a hint of regret.

The question had to be asked. What did he do to deserve this much torture?

Sadly, the answer was conspicuous to her. It was the one Hellen Gravely wanted to cherish for eternity in the afterlife – King Boo. After all, Luigi was the one who stopped him twice after he captured his older brother. That resulted in his vendetta. Thanks to Hellen, his plan was taken into effect since she started her hotel scheme. But now, Polterkitty felt like switching from the dark side might have been the wisest thing she had personally done. With all the time she had to reflect on her behavior and actions, she was somewhat convinced that Luigi and his friends were not the bad guys. However, she still needed to gain their trust. At the moment, all she could do was sit in silence and follow them around. Maybe then she would feel comfortable.

Finally, the elevator button rang as they arrived at the Basement. The group hurried to the Garage without uttering a single word or noise.

**_END OF CHAPTER_**

* * *

_Phew, got this done in time for Halloween! Happy one-year anniversary to Luigi's Mansion 3!_

_While Luigi got stuck in another twist of bad luck, the others have finally escaped the Boilerworks, but not before they received a special item. Some of you might be aware that it is the Super Suction attachment that Luigi normally retrieved when he couldn't access a future level. But instead of having him return to B2, I wanted the heroes to explore the remaining rooms while throwing in Bogmire for another boss battle. So to be clear, we will finally be done with the Boilerworks. (As for my personal experience, I actually got stuck at the bottom of the Waterworks because I didn't know there was a door to the left that led to the underside of the Elevator Hall. I ended up backtracking all the way from the Old Reservoir to the main route for no reason, and I missed out on a bunch of money and Golden Goobs. I'm so bad at perceiving things.)_

_As I mentioned earlier, we will not head over to 10F just yet. We'll be taking a quick intermission as Peach gets situated with her friends and Luigi heals from his injuries. Plus, Morty and Madame Clairvoya will make another appearance!_

_Anyway, thanks for sticking around if you've been following, reading, and reviewing since day one! For all newcomers, I appreciate your support as well! We just recently peaked at **125 favorites**, and I can't thank every one of you enough! I hope you all have a Happy Halloween! This is TGN, signing off._


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